From a boy setting off small explosions in his living room to the creator of world-famous pyrotechnic events, multidisciplinary artist Cai Guo-Qiang has always been drawn to gunpowder. He gives a stunning tour of his work — including his...

In 1915, an exhibition of radical artworks opened in Russia. Many pieces pushed the boundaries of form and style, but one was particularly controversial: Kazimir Malevich's "Black Square." Criticized as simple and uninspired, Malevich's...

It's been estimated that 1 in 10 works of fine art are forged or misattributed. The truth is, no one really knows how much fake art is out there, because many art counterfeiters are so skilled that their paintings are almost...

On first glance, the painting Las Meninasc (The Maids of Honorc) might not seem terribly special, but it's actually one of the most analyzed pieces in the history of art. Why is this painting by Diego Velazquez so captivating? James...

Prior to the mid-20th century, art restorers took a heavy-handed approach, often drastically altering paintings in the name of "improving" art. Today, they focus on keeping the original work intact with minimal intervention, and must...

Alexa Meade takes an innovative approach to art. Not for her a life of sketching and stretching canvases. Instead, she selects a topic and then paints it--literally. She covers everything in a scene--people, chairs, food, you name it--in...

In art school, Phil Hansen developed an unruly tremor in his hand that kept him from creating the pointillist drawings he loved. Hansen was devastated, floating without a sense of purpose. Until a neurologist made a simple suggestion:...

If you visit a museum with a collection of modern and contemporary art, you're likely to see works that sometimes elicit the response, _My cat could make that, so how is it art?" But is it true? Could anyone create one of Jackson...

Some works of art can be worth thousands, even millions, of dollars. But what if you aren't so sure that Van Gogh you just bought to hang over your toilet is the real deal? Luckily, we can use science to sniff out fakes!

Daniel Lismore's closet is probably a bit different than yours -- his clothes are constructed out of materials ranging from beer cans and plastic crystals to diamonds, royal silks and 2,000-year-old Roman rings. In this striking talk,...

Emerging research suggests that paintings might be more than just pretty pictures: how we process what we see in paintings might also impact the way we process the world around us.

In 1937, in one of the worst civilian casualties of the Spanish Civil War, Fascist forces bombed the village of Guernica in Northern Spain. For Pablo Picasso, the tragedy sparked a frenzied period of work in which he produced a massive...

Have you ever come across an oddly stretched image on the sidewalk, only to find that it looks remarkably realistic if you stand in exactly the right spot? These sidewalk illusions employ a technique called anamorphosis - a special case...

Dutch artist Piet Mondrian's abstract, rectangular paintings inspired mathematicians to create a two-fold challenge. Can you solve the puzzle and get to the lowest score possible? Gordon Hamilton shows how.

Monet uses color and composition to draw your eye to the water and plant life below a Japanese-style bridge in his impressionistic painting.

Howcast - You can’t expect to paint a masterpiece on untreated cloth. Here’s how to gesso, or prime, a homemade canvas in a hurry.

Howcast - Learn how to paint with acrylic paint using a palette knife from painter Linda Rhea in this Howcast video.

Howcast - Learn how to pick paintbrushes for acrylic painting from painter Linda Rhea in this Howcast video.

Howcast - Learn about the supplies you need to get started painting with acrylic paint from painter Linda Rhea in this Howcast video.

Howcast - Learn eight acrylic painting techniques from painter Linda Rhea in this Howcast video.

Howcast - Learn how to paint a simple background using acrylic paint from painter Linda Rhea in this Howcast video.

Howcast - Learn how to prepare your canvas to paint with acrylic paint from painter Linda Rhea in this Howcast video.

Howcast - Learn how to control opacity and brightness when painting with acrylic paint from painter Linda Rhea in this Howcast video.

Howcast - Learn how to paint with acrylic paint on hardboard or wood from painter Linda Rhea in this Howcast video.