Painting experts helped write this material and for more details on this topic can be found here: https://ukrainianvintage.com
Contemporary oil painting continues to evolve, reflecting the many trends that shape the direction of art and these trends are the result of both historical changes and technological innovations, as well as the individual preferences of the artists. Painting is a rich and varied field (canvases), where artists continue to explore new methods and themes, while remaining true to the traditions that were laid down in the past as a kind of foundation for oil paintings. And the trends, in turn, are based on paintings that range from realistic and hyperrealistic images to abstract and conceptual approaches – a reflection of a wide range of interests and influences on the viewer’s emotional perception.
Oil painting remains an important medium of artistic expression, capable of adapting and thriving in a changing art world, and over such a long period of time, so many genres and subgenres with different directions have been formed that it would take forever to list them all. Therefore, we will consider only important and outstanding types of painting; And let’s start with landscapes – the most common and popular among consumers.
Landscapes – the magic of nature
Landscapes, as a genre of painting depicting natural or urban views, have many variations from realistic to abstract interpretations. Artists, as a rule, convey the atmosphere, light, weather and time of day, as well as their feelings and impressions of what they saw; and the landscapes can contain both animals and people, but they are not the main theme of these oil paintings. If you think about it this way, landscape painting plays an important role in the cultural and artistic heritage of humanity – artists not only convey the beauty of the surrounding world, but also reflect changes in the perception of nature and society over the centuries. Thus, capturing on canvas climate change, how far urbanization has gone, and human interaction with nature – all this makes the landscape genre valuable for buying and selling.
Consider Boris Serdyuk’s painting “Morning in the Mountains” – the artist skillfully depicts the details of a natural mountain landscape, while creating warmth through colors and shadows, and thereby encourages a person’s desire to move to this corner of nature. The technique that the artist uses is reminiscent of impressionism with its characteristic strokes on the canvas, and the play of light to focus attention on the necessary elements of the oil painting. There is a small house on the lawn, which adds that same coziness and warmth, and the green and blue tones of the mountains create the effect of depth and spaciousness, and through the autumn trees in yellow and orange shades they add contrast and variety to the color scheme. The fog that hides part of the mountains causes an effect of calm and melancholy, and the entire oil painting conveys the beauty of nature and its grandeur.
Drawing general conclusions like this, we can say that the landscape genre continues to be an important and inspiring part of oil painting, attracting both artists and art lovers with its endless possibilities for creativity and self-expression, and for viewers it is a point of inspiration.
Surrealism is a dream, as if in reality
In the trend of oil painting, it would be extremely difficult not to mention the genre of surrealism – the image consists of a combination of reality and dream. To do this, artists use absurd and contradictory combinations of real images through collage and “ready-made” technology in their works. Surrealism is characterized by allusions and paradoxical combinations of forms and visual deception, and on the canvases of artists, solid objects, such as stones, spread, and water turns to stone. Everything is like in a dream – this is surrealism – it is neither real nor surreal, a dream is a continuation of reality, but only objective reality, which is not imposed by certain ideas of consciousness and not constrained by the Super-Ego, or is also called “censorship of consciousness”.
Let’s look at the example of Daniil Litvinov’s oil painting “Sweet Dreams” – from the first impression it is already clear that his work belongs to surrealism. Irrational elements such as the image of a woman with her head in the form of a cake with cream or surrounded by unusual objects, like balloons with the faces of strange creatures. The artist’s painting creates the feeling of a dream or fantasy, where real and unreal elements are intertwined in a single space – this is called an exploration of the subconscious and hidden aspects of the human psyche.
Drawing general conclusions like this, we can say that surrealism is not just an artistic movement in oil painting, but a powerful movement of artists who changed the perception of reality and expanded the boundaries of human imagination not through their paintings. Surrealism continues to inspire and surprise both artists when creating a painting and viewers when viewing it, and at the same time calls for exploration of themes “the deepest aspects of our psyche and the world around us.”
The value of surrealism for buying and selling lies in its uniqueness and emotional impact – surrealist works, due to their originality and ability to evoke deep psychological and aesthetic responses, attract collectors and investors, which makes them sought after and valuable on the art market. These works are often considered not only artistic objects, but also investments, capable of greatly appreciating in value due to their historical and cultural significance, as well as their rarity.
Abstraction – expanding the horizon of consciousness
Continuing the themes of unusual genres in the trend of oil painting, we will smoothly move on to abstraction – in paintings where there are no boundaries for the artists’ imagination. The foundation on which any oil painting in the abstract genre is built is a free interpretation of ideas through recognizable images from life, which are depicted directly through shapes and lines. Abstraction in oil painting represents an opportunity for artists to forego the exact reproduction of reality, and instead convey their emotions and concepts through the use of color and clever composition, where subjective perceptions and associations for viewers will prevail.
Consider the example of Sergey Voichenko’s painting “Psychedelic” – you can see drawn images that resemble eyes and a face – they are highly stylized and not realistic, which is typical for abstract art, which is used to convey recognizable elements in a modified form. The artist does not strive to accurately reproduce reality and forms and lines are used to build the composition – they are intertwined, creating a more dynamic and multi-layered sensation for the work due to the variety of textures.
Let’s draw general conclusions for abstraction in oil painting – this is a genre that provides artists with endless opportunities for creative expression. What unites in itself: firstly – the interpretation of images, secondly – the technical complexity of recreating a painting, and thirdly – the emotional impact on a person, making it an important and influential part for the modern art of painting. Artists who work in the genre of abstraction continue to explore new facets and possibilities of human perception from the geometry (shapes and lines) of overall compositions that will inspire and provoke deep reflection in viewers through viewing original paintings. As the famous artist said: “The aesthetic concepts of the first abstractionists assumed that artistic creativity reflects the laws of the universe hidden behind the external phenomena of reality, and intuitively comprehended by the artist, expressed through the relationship of abstract forms.”
The value of abstraction for buying and selling lies in its uniqueness and emotional depth, which attract collectors and investors, thus abstract works are not limited to specific subjects, which allows each viewer to interpret them in their own way, creating a personal connection with art. This makes abstraction especially popular and universal in the art market. In addition, works by famous abstract artists often achieve high prices at auction, offering not only aesthetic value but also significant investment value.
Contemporary realism is deeper and more symbolic
In the trend of oil painting there is such a direction as realism, which in translation means “real”, and in the literal sense “realism” is an artistic style that truthfully and objectively reproduces the canons of life in all its details, regardless of the degree of beauty of the depicted in an oil painting. As one person said: “The world is changing and the views of society are changing” – in other words, against the backdrop of developments throughout the world, where the instability of political systems and the growing influence of mass media – everyday life and the modern world in its ugly form – become objects of artistic comprehension . Realist artists’ depictions in their paintings focus on a rapprochement with real life and academic rules, which reproduce their works with idealized accuracy, both in historical and mythological image.
Consider the example of Oleg Kateryniuk’s oil painting “Sacrifice” – the depicted human figure is depicted with a high degree of realism and with precise anatomical detail, and the character’s face is conveyed with dramatic emotions to emphasize his internal experiences and personal history. The artist’s work also contains symbolic elements, such as a toy soldier in a man’s hand and a field of sunflowers in the background – all these elements (in the painting) carry deep meaning and can evoke different interpretations from viewers. So, for example, the soldier obviously symbolizes the war, the violence that the main character felt, and then, like sunflowers, despite difficulties, life moves on and you need to have the strength to overcome the trauma of what happened. Sunflowers also have the meaning of growth and vitality, which is precisely typical for this work – life flows along with time and only you will have the strength to overcome all the difficulties. To emphasize the emotional tension and enhance the symbolic composition, muted skin tones and bright color contrasts were chosen against the background – green and red – this gives a strong visual impact.
Let us draw general conclusions for modern realism in painting – this is a dynamic and multifaceted direction that combines traditional techniques with modern themes in the world. Realist artists continue to explore and reflect the world around them, which not only impresses with its technical virtuosity (created directly with paint on canvas), but also evokes deep emotional and intellectual responses in viewers.
In the art market, the genre of contemporary realism has a buying/selling value – this is because artists are able to combine high technical skills and detail with current themes, which makes such works attractive to both collectors and investors. Oil paintings in realistic form often have deep emotional and social significance that easily resonate with a wide audience. And thanks to the versatility of the depicted themes in modern realism, they can easily be integrated into the design of your room, thereby increasing their commercial appeal in the art market.
Best finished oil paintings for home decor
We looked at modern trends in oil painting (this is not all genres and directions – there are more of them – we highlighted the most basic ones), and gave examples of artists, then you can ask, what ready-made oil paintings are suitable for home decor? You bump from your preferences and tastes – some like realistic or hyper-realistic paintings, some like abstraction – unraveling the mysteries and meaning of artists through their sacred symbols, and some like mythology. Everyone will find something to suit their taste and the home interior plays a key role in the selection – if you come to the idea like this, then every genre or direction is suitable for any room, but there are nuances, for example, like abstraction with dynamic lines, it is clearly not suitable for bedrooms where you need to relax and unwind.
Let’s look at the rooms and what paintings we can hang in them by genre:
1) Kitchen – oil paintings that are painted with lungs subjects will fit perfectly, such as still lifes with fruits and flowers. Don’t be afraid to buy very bright paintings in the kitchen, it has every right to be the main accent of the interior. Just keep in mind that in the kitchen the canvas can quickly become covered with soot and dust, so it is best to hide the painting under glass. Remark, if the oil painting is made in warm colors, then it will also stimulate the appetite – these are the little secrets.
2) The bedroom is a stronghold of warmth and tranquility; here it is better to choose paintings that will take into account this atmosphere; for example, landscapes in pastel colors are ideal. It could be snow, the sea, a coniferous forest, flowers or even a portrait – such paintings will support the tone of the room, and if you want the work of art to fit into the interior, then try to ensure that the tonality of the oil painting echoes the shade of the curtains. The main thing is not to hang paintings with battle scenes and natural disasters – they are not for the bedroom – there is no need for an extra reason for action in a quiet room. Also, a black and white painting in the bedroom is also not suitable, like other brightly contrasting solutions – they will not help you relax.
3) Children’s room – this is a cheerful interior, and oil paintings that need to hang corresponding to this mood, for example, beautiful and kind subjects in pleasant colors – it can be characters from cartoons or colorful natural landscapes. Portraits of animals such as cats, dogs, birds are also suitable for the interior of a children’s room or decorated with children’s drawings.
4) Living room – the most daring oil paintings are suitable for it, as expressive ones, surrealism, abstraction, impressionism will look best – more luxurious and attractive. Discussing the plot of the painting with guests and simply admiring an extraordinary work every day, therefore, choose what resonates with you. For complete, perfect delight, choose a frame for the painting so that it matches the tone of the furniture.
It is also important what features of the interior of your room – if it is designed strictly in a classical style, then masterpieces of surrealism will definitely not fit here, for example, vintage oil paintings will look one hundred percent. And if the interior is modern, then only your imagination is limited here, and therefore, be bolder in your emotions – they will help transform the room and make it more creative. In addition, modern art is not only created for aesthetic pleasure, of course you will admire it every day, but at the same time discovering unexpected facets of the deep meaning contained in the oil painting.
Where to buy original oil paintings?
After analyzing the trends in oil painting and where to hang them correctly in which room according to the interior, I want to move on to the thought of buying, but all that remains is to understand where and how best. Online stores are best suited for choosing a large assortment of oil paintings from all genres and styles, and stores such as Saatchi, Etsy, eBay, Artfinder offer a spectrum for choosing artists. And for examples of paintings that were given in this text, you can look at the Ukrainian Vintage Co store, both on their website and on the trading platforms that were mentioned.
Visiting art fairs and exhibitions, such as Art Basel, Frieze Art Fair and others, you can’t list them all, allows you to see the works of many artists from different countries and buy the oil paintings you like. Don’t forget about local galleries, which are a great way to find original oil paintings, and you will also have the opportunity to discuss your choice with the artist and, to a greater extent, he will be able to provide you with his catalog of paintings that are not present.
Buying original oil paintings requires some research and planning (for room design), but the variety of methods available – from galleries and fairs to online platforms and direct contact with artists – provides a wide choice and the ability to find exactly the works that suit your emotions and tastes.
child porn