9781422287101

Chapter One

Creating Paintings

W hen you think of art, you may automatically think of paint- ing. The practice of putting pigment on a surface to create scenes and designs is one of the most familiar art forms in the world. Painting is popular with everyone from preschoolers using their fin- gers to apply paint on paper to professional artists masterfully creat- ing meaningful paintings meant for a wider audience. Even if you don’t paint yourself, you can still enjoy others’ paintings hanging in museums, galleries, and walls. Not all painting is the same, though. In fact, you can talk about painting a house or a piece of furniture, not just painting a work of art. Painting a wall with a flat coat of paint isn’t generally considered art. It doesn’t have any deeper meaning than making a space look nice. Art,

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