Montana Artworking by Cindy Betka

Edward Hopper was an American painter who made his living as an illustrator.   His illustrative works shows the devotion to detail that his paintings did not. While in Paris he was influenced by the Impressionism movement going on at the time. He experimented with various techniques in his illustrations then progressed into the style he is more known for in his paintings. Below in 'Yonkers' (1916), Whitney Museum of American Art,  Hopper handles this painting with an Impressionist quality. In this later painting, Hopper depicts the contrast between 2 different worlds;  interior rooms vs purely natural outside. It takes on a surreal quality. 'Rooms by The Sea' (1951), Yale University Art Gallery

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio Caravaggio's novelty was a radical naturalism that combined close physical observation with a dramatic, even theatrical, use of chiaroscuro . This came to be known as Tenebrism , the shift from light to dark with little intermediate value. ( From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Conversion of Saint Paul , 1601, Cerasi Chapel , Santa Maria del Popolo , Rome . When living in Rome, I recall going around to the various churches to see these wonderful works. They were tucked into the various dark side chapels within the church. All you had to do was place a coin into the light machine for the lights to come on for a few minutes to view the painting. With my current painting on the easel, I am going to try a bit of the chiaroscuro. I can at least give it a go. Perhaps I will learn something. Stay tuned for my next blog to revel the work in progress.