When it comes to colour there is so much that a specific colour, or even a specific shade, can invoke. And that is why it is easy to understand why painters and artists have always gone to great lengths to create and use colours in their work. While blue is easily seen in the sky and the water, blue has actually traditionally been one of the more difficult colours to procure and create. So in this blog let’s delve right into the fascinating history of the colour blue in art.

Since humans (and artists) have existed, animals have been a source of inspiration. From art representing daily life, to myths and legends, to scientific depictions, to more abstract ones, animals have been portrayed many different ways in every culture on every continent. Art as we know it would not exist if animals weren’t a prominent subject for artists.

One of my favourite things to do in my art classes is to take inspiration from the works of some of the most famous and important artists from the past, and see how we can use it to inspire our own creations! This is great fun, because not only does it help our own process, but it also gives us a glimpse into art history. Recently I’ve done classes that drew from the work of Paul Klee and Gustav Klimt — and in that spirit, here’s a little more about the work of both of these 19th and 20th century art giants.