Paintings of celestial bodies have been around for thousands of years, but only recently have space programs spawned a newfound lust for imagery. Space programs have commissioned artists and sponsored residencies since 1958. The International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA) has 120 members around the world. The art and science of space exploration has become an important part of NASA’s mission, and space painting is just one way to celebrate this new frontier.
Many artists try to communicate ideas about space by displaying the vastness of the Universe, and in doing so, try to capture that sense of wonder and infinite variety. Deep space painting can convey feelings of hope and wonder, as well as deep appreciation for the universe. But to create an immersive and engaging space painting, you must know about space, and this can be learned by exploring how it is used in various works of art. Here are a few of the most common methods used in space painting:
First, start by choosing a background color. Then, create a swirl gradient of white and black at the center of the painting. Then, use a white gelly roll pen to add more white paint to the center of the black oval. You can refine the stars with the white pen and more white paint. You will want to make sure you have the space painting technique right before adding more white paint. You’ll want to use a fine quality brush for this, as flicking the paint brush bristles creates a high-quality star splatter.
In the Middle Ages, paintings often used flat, uninteresting spatial arrangements. At the same time, motifs were the primary concern of artists. During the Renaissance, however, an awakening of the human spirit highlighted the importance of humanity in the general scheme of the universe. With this newfound focus, art began to express a sense of space as a part of our reality. We see this axis of reality reflected in our paintings as the human form. The rejection of a hierarchical worldview continued in the modern era. However, representations of space remained a vital aspect of aesthetics.
Artworks depicting space are often a representation of an inner vision of Humanity. The pictorial images of space paintings can be a visual homage to outer space, popular concepts of life on other worlds, and the human spirit. Some artists also use space paintings as a way to express their thoughts and feelings about space exploration. They may draw inspiration from psychedelic imagery or contemporary visionary art. In addition to this, space paintings may be a way to connect people with the future of our planet.
Colour Space Paintings are a continuation of Hirst’s Veil Paintings. Veil Paintings, in contrast, revisited the artist’s Visual Candy series of the early nineties, which featured pointillist-style dots and thick impasto. The colour Space Paintings reveal Hirst’s balancing act between being expressive and systematic. In the meantime, Hirst’s paintings are an expression of the contemporary artist’s desire to challenge conventions of painting.
