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Forthcoming exhibitions:
Seaside Gallery
17th
International Miniature Art Show NC, USA May 5 - 31, 2008
Parklane
Gallery 16th Annual Miniature Show
WA, USA
May 6th to June
1st, 2008
Hilliard Society of Miniaturists
International Exhibition - Wells, UK
June 1st - 8th 2008
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What is Miniature Art?
I am still learning myself but the following
information and resources may prove helpful if you would like to find out
more. The National Gallery describes
a miniaturist as "an artist who works in great detail on a very small
scale" which sums it up perfectly!
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Technique - Detailed painstaking brushwork
that withstands considerable magnification.
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Size - 25" or less for surface area.
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Scale - Small in scale compared to life size.
All three factors are equally
important to create contemporary fine art in miniature, helping to set this
specialised field apart and maintain a crucial link to it's
traditions. Just because a painting is small does not make it a miniature,
likewise fine detail alone is not enough. Some societies use a 1/6th guideline for scale, others that a portrait
head or principle object cannot be more than 2" (with naturally tiny subjects there is some
flexibility). One of the descriptions often
used is that a miniature painting is 'portable' and should fit in the palm of your hand.
Historically this kind of painting was known as limning
and referred simply to watercolour paintings on vellum. These were
originally stuck to a playing cards for support and grew out of the
techniques used to illustrate hand-written books, often practiced by the
same artists. (A wonderful example is
'The Golf Book' by Simon Bening, which measures 4" x 3.5",
from the 16th century. If you don't have broadband
click here
instead).
Over the centuries it has evolved to encompass changing
trends and ideas; today many different mediums and surfaces are
used for a wide variety of subject matter by artists all over the world.
Katherine Coombs is the curator of the miniature collection at the V&A and
explains their history in fascinating detail in her papers and book, The Portrait Miniature in England .
Anyone keen to learn more from
contemporary artists will find this book excellent:
Techniques of Painting Miniatures
by Sue Burton, a founding member of the Hilliard Society in the UK.
(Clicking on the title will allow you to see a preview).
Thanks to the efforts of some very
experienced miniature artists over the past few years, the following links
to societies and individuals will give you an insight into the
fascinating world of 'painting in the little':
The Hilliard Society
|
The
Royal Miniature Society |
Association of Miniature
Artists
Wes & Rachelle Siegrist |
Linda
Rossin |
Bill Mundy |
Llewellyn Alexander Gallery
If you are interested in purchasing
one of my original miniature paintings, please get in touch. |