Realistic Paintings

and
Realistic Art
of

Brian T. Keller

Realistic paintings and reproductions of American themes, including Western Landscapes, Midwestern shorelines, seascapes, beach themes and still life art from my own unique perspective.

Realistic Paintings:
 Western Landscapes  

Realistic Paintings:
Seascapes & Beaches

Realistic Paintings:
Midwestern Lakes

About the Artist 

My Newest Pieces

Artists Painting Workshop:
Schedule and Costs

Workshop Review

Artists Painting Workshops

Workshop Interest Form

Show Schedule

My Blog http://btkellerart.
blogspot.com/

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Realistic paintings as my goal

My career as a professional painter of realistic and naturalistic art has taken me across America, and I have experienced the natural beauty that this land has to offer, from the sweep of Western landscapes to the intimacy of inland lakes and  remote ocean beaches.  My realistic paintings and art are created to a large part from these experiences. Even though the finished paintings are imaginary creations, aspects of each work of my realistic art are inspired by my photographic studies, drawings, and impressions that I have gathered from the places that I have explored.

The intent of each painting is to invite the viewer into my art with the illusion of being there in the picture. To accomplish this, I employ a wide range of realistic painting techniques, including rich details and textures which, combined with  selective use of highlights and shadows, create in each piece the sensation of three dimensional reality necessary to accomplish my goals.

My paintings are meant to be experienced, not just viewed, and I strive to add elements to each one that enhance that experience.  Whether they are naturalistic outdoor scenes or more intimate interior settings, the foregrounds are filled with bits of detail that are created to enrich the illusion that these are real places, and that the viewers are taking part in the painting.

This use of realistic detail is also my best vehicle for capturing light. It is the use of highlights and shadows, captured in the surfaces and textures of each scene, that are intended to make the final piece an invitation for the viewer to experience.

Influenced in part by the works of American realist artist Andrew Wyeth, I began using egg tempera paint around 1990.  A hand made mixture of egg yolk, water and powder pigment, this paint is especially suited to my work as it handles better for detail and realistic illusions than any other paint I've worked with.  It is one of the earliest mediums ever developed, and was used exclusively to create the historic frescos of the Renaissance, such as the Sistine Ceiling. It is a light, delicate paint that dries almost immediately so each brush stroke is sharp and clean, and does not blend or smear the other layers of paint.  This property allows me to emphasize fine detail and crisp edges that contribute to my goal of realistic illusions which visually pull the observer into my art.

Painting workshops in egg tempera

If you are an artist of even moderate experience, and are interested in learning more about the egg tempera process, I offer workshops that are certain to add to your repertoire of painting skills.  If you have ever been moved by the realistic art of Andrew Wyeth and wanted to learn more about the egg tempera technique, or if you are familiar with the process but have been intimidated by its complexities, then you may wish to consider one of my workshops. 

They are three day events, hosted by the Abend Gallery here in Denver, Colorado, and are designed to either acquaint the novice with the methods of creating and working the paint, or for the more advanced painter, learn more techniques that can enrich your painting experience. Techniques will include glazing, layering, stippling, masking and scraping to control the paint and achieve desired effects.

I will provide most of the materials you will need except brushes, including source photos, and instruction will include one-on-one interaction  as well as lectures and class demonstration.

Simply follow the above link to the workshops page to learn more that I have to offer, and what you will need to attend a three day class.