The Triskel Art Centre
Theatre Profile
The Triskel Art Centre is a public playground for the developing and presenting new and challenging work across the arts; for forging innovative ways of thinking about the wider culture; for experimenting with the presentation of the arts.
Triskel was established in1979, primarily as a Visual Arts Centre, (visual art and film). Since moving to the current premises on Tobin Street in Cork city centre, the programme has expanded to music, drama, literature and education. Housed in a converted 18th century warehouse, Triskel expanded into a second warehouse adjacent to the original building.
Our central aim is to engage a living, relevant and innovative cultural environment in Cork City. We seek to exploit the unique potential of a multi- disciplinary venue in stimulating artists to experiment and create new works while encouraging the public to explore, participate and enjoy the arts.
Blog Posts
Colour in Visual Art
Throughout history, humans have associated colour with their experiences, their joys, hopes, pleasures and sadness. And many artists use colour to express themselves more forcefully than the image alone can do. They might express hope by a light yellow against a dark background or lovers’ passion by the radiance of the sun. But whilst a visual artist needs to study colour theory and the use of colour as a means of expression, for the viewer, a formal understanding of colour does nothing to enhance the appreciation of an artwork or affect their instinctive reaction to it.
Many articles on colour try to explain the theory of colour as if by understanding colour theory the viewer can better appreciate the art. But a human’s reaction to certain colours is a fundamental biological response. We are, of course, also influenced by colour associations from our culture and, very importantly, our own individual preferences. So an understanding of colour theory will not affect our personal response to a particular painting. And whilst the ideas and inspiration behind a particular painting are a very important element in our appreciation of a work of art, the specific colours and how they are used together are also a major part of our emotional response to what we see.
Sometimes the initial emotional response to the colours is so strong that it can make us instantly like, or dislike, a work. This is often the case when the artist has used a colour specifically to express a strong emotion rather than the natural colour of an object in the painting. Or has used an unnatural colour for a familiar object.
It is well known that colour can be used by an artist to create a calming effect, or to draw the viewer’s eye to a particular part of the composition. And everyone is familiar with the concept of “warm” and “cool” colours. Warm colours such as red and orange appear closer to the viewer and cool colours such as blue and green appear to recede.
Colour can also be used to create the illusion of movement and excitement in a painting when the artist uses extremes of colour very close together. Our eyes can also perceive a visual rhythm by the use of alternating sequences of colour.
In visual art, colour should create a balanced visual experience. Without balance or harmony, the art is either too bland and doesn’t engage or excite the viewer or it is too loud and demanding and the viewer simply turns away.
Below are some of the emotions and effects an artist is trying to represent with various colours through Colour Symbolism. But it is important to remember that all colours can provoke positive and negative reactions depending on their context. And the experience and culture of those viewing them can affect their perception of the artist’s message. Colours are capable of so many variations that making absolute statements about meaning is impossible, which is why an understanding of the artist’s inspiration and intentions in a painting add to our appreciation and enjoyment of a work of art.
COLOUR SYMBOLISM
RED
Passion, Love, Desire, Excitement, Energy, Speed, Strength, Power, Heat, Optimism, Danger, Rage, Hunger, Aggression, War, Violence
YELLOW
Warmth, Sunshine, Brightness, Joy, Happiness, Idealism, Optimism, Hope, Cowardice, Betrayal, Dishonesty, Jealousy, Deceit
BLUE
Honesty, Energy, Calm, Cool, Sadness, Peace, Tranquillity, Harmony, Unity, Trust, Truth, Loyalt
ORANGE
Confidence, Creativity, Warmth, Adventure, Fun, Energy, Enthusiasm
GREEN
Nature, Contentment, Harmony, Happiness, Friendship, Fertility, Youth, Jealousy
PURPLE
Fantasy, Mystery, Intelligence, Wealth, Beauty, Sophistication, Shock, Royalty, Nobility, Wisdom, Cruelty, Arrogance
LAVENDER
Femininity, Grace, Elegance
GREY
Ambiguity, Maturity, Creativity, Intelligence, Modesty, Dignity, Sadness
TEAL
Sophistication, Calm
BLACK
Authority, Power, Mystery, Sadness, Danger, Sexuality, Elegance, Wealth, Fear, Evil, Unhappiness, Anger, Death (Western cultures)
WHITE
Innocence, Purity, Fairness, Honour, Birth, Simplicity, Peace, Youth, Marriage (Western cultures), Death (Eastern cultures)
IVORY
Unification, Quiet, Calm, Simplicity
PINK
Femininity, Sweetness, Prosperity, Calm, Love, Romance
BROWN
Earth, Nature, Sadness, Comfort, Simplicity
Oil Painting For Beginners – Tips and Much More
Oil painting dates back to Roman times – at least, becoming much more popular in the 15th century, where it was mixed with medium, making it similar to the way current day oil paints look and feel.
So it’s been in use almost forever!
So why does it still seem to be regarded as one of the most difficult panting mediums by beginner painters?
Well I think the beginner is put off by many factors, including – the vast number of colour choices available, the smell of turps, the messiness of cleaning the brushes, buying expensive stretched canvas and an easel to hold it, plus where do you store a wet canvas whilst waiting for it to dry? It really is enough to put anyone off – no wonder most beginner painters decide to start with watercolour – which in my opinion really is the most difficult and unforgiving of all the painting mediums to start with.
Oil painting has many advantages though, especially for the beginner, here’s just a few – if you do something wrong then you can just wipe the section off and redo it, most colours are quite opaque so it covers the canvas quickly making the painting appear to develop quickly, the paint stays wet for some time, making blending much easier and less rushed.
So now we know some of the great benefits lets see if I can simplify the process of oil painting and encourage some beginners to give it a try.
OK, lets start with all those colour choices out there – well you will be pleased to know that you only really need a few colours to start, here’s a good beginners list – Titanium White Ultramarine Blue Cadmium Red Medium Cadmium Yellow Medium Burnt Umber Burnt Sienna Lamp Black I use the Lamp Black sparingly in paint mixes, and because I paint a lot of wildlife I have included the Umber and Sienna as well.
I use Alkyd Oil paints as they dry by the next day – which makes storing oil paintings a piece of cake – no more wet paintings propped up against things gathering dust while they dry. Your going to need a solvent of some sort to wash your brushes at the end of a painting session, and any of the Low odor solvents are good, the Bob Ross Low odor thinners is a good choice, most of them have VERY little smell at all. When I need to thin the paint mix whilst painting I use a medium of 50% Linseed oil and 50% Thinners, once again the smell is kept very low. Oil painting brushes are cheap when compared to decent quality watercolour brushes, which is another great reason to start with oils.
Choose a small selection of Hog brushes, I like Flats and Filberts, 1inch, 1/2inch and 1/4 inch should be fine – 2 of each. Also 2 synthetic round brushes for more detailed work, size 5 and 1 should be fine. You will also need a palette to put your paints on and also mix, I use disposable paper palettes, they are available from all art stores – make sure they are suitable for oil paint (they have a shiny side which does not absorb the paint), they make cleaning up at the end of a painting session real easy.
Now you only really need to find something to paint on to – When practicing this could be something as cost effective as paper with a few coats of gesso on one side, or canvas boards which are also very reasonably priced. If your think you are going to do a lot of paintings as I do then it can be even more cost effective to by loose / primed canvas in a roll.
OK….. so we have –
Taken or reduced substantially the smell associated with oil paints (using odorless thinners)
Reduced the choice of colours to a more manageable number
Eliminated the problem of storing wet paintings (using Alkyd Paints)
Reduced the choice of brushes by picking a small selection of essential brushes
Made clean up quick by using paper palettes and
Reduced the cost of canvas by using more economical supports.
So now there is really no reason why the beginner should not start out with oil paints and enjoy what I think is the best painting medium of all.
Tips To Enhance Your Arts And Crafts Projects
It is difficult to contest the reality that countless people rely on arts and crafts as a method to reveal their innovative side and also acquire a feeling of calmness and leisure during their or else stressful lives. The very best method to obtain one of the most complete satisfaction out of arts as well as crafts is to become completely knowledgeable regarding the category you like best. Maintain reviewing for some terrific recommendations on doing just that.
Among the ideal places to locate crafting materials is Amazon. By registering for an Amazon Prime account, you can obtain cost-free shipping for a whole year. Furthermore, many of Amazon.com’s vendors use Free Super Shipping products. To get approved for Free Super Shipping you need to invest a minimum of $25 dollars in product.
When seeking to conserve cash on arts as well as crafts products, do not neglect nationwide store. While specialty stores will certainly have the ideal option, workplace supply as well as division shops will carry a whole lot of supplies you can use on your following job. Watch out for Sunday advertisements and on-line discount coupons from these shops to conserve huge.
Searching the internet for brand-new ideas is a terrific means to broaden your arts and crafts skills. You can see what other crafters are producing and gain a brand-new point of view on what you can create with your crafting abilities. So go online to locate brand-new ways to increase your creativity when you are doing your favored craft or leisure activity.
If you are passionate regarding your crafts, however do not know what to do with the completed items, consider marketing them! You could quickly and economically be able to establish up a table at a neighborhood market, or merely have a garage sale. This will help you excellent your craft, as well as possibly make you some extra investing money as well.
A browse through to a thrift can be a terrific means to get materials for your craft. Numerous people contribute supplies for craft tasks that they have quit on, They might be in the kind of a total kit that was never opened or it may be a collection of items and also tools that you can use.
When you are completed painting for the day, make certain to cleanse your brushes completely. Paint that is left in a brush dries out and also solidifies the bristles. The next time you wish to use them, the stiffer brush will certainly not make as subtle strokes as it did, and also it will certainly be tough to keep that pure color.
Though Arts Tips may cost you extra at first, it is best to acquire top quality arts as well as crafts product. If you make use of economical materials, there is a greater opportunity of your item to crumble or break. Over time, it will simply cost you a lot more when you need to go back to square one with new materials.
Arts and crafts can be a great electrical outlet for creativity and also power for those with the moment and capability to do them. By taking the time for more information regarding arts as well as crafts that may attract your very own details skills and also time constraints, you can establish a pastime you truly enjoy. We hope this article has actually been a wonderful source as you continue your journey.
