This Dominican-born artist uses rich color to create an exotic and intense experience of the world.by John A. ParksStanding Nude Study1988, oil, 20 x 16. All artworkthis article collectionthe artist unless otherwise indicated.Although he has long lived in New York City, Ismael Checo paints light with a richness and vibrancy of color that harks back to his boyhood world in Santo Domingo.

Our team at Network is always on the lookout for new items on the market that are just for artists. The following is a sponsored message from our friends from ARTristic Easel. Rotate your artwork, tilt it, raise it, lower it and instantly lock it at any angle or position while you’re painting.

Using luminescent acrylic paints, Tom Bacher paints landscapes and portraits with spectacular lighting effects. He combines different brands of fluorescent and phosphorescent paints to achieve the look he wants for various elements in paintings that incorporate the elements of time and change, such as “New York City,” below.

In the July/August 2008 issue of American Artist, we discussed Barbara Kassels autobiographical interior paintings. In this online exclusive gallery, we juxtapose her interior and exterior paintings.Jim’s Fish House2006, oil on Masonite, 6 x 12.All artwork this gallery courtesy Maxwell Davidson Gallery, New York, New York, unless otherwise indicated.

There’s a romantic side to art that is what lures so many to create: the idea of expressing yourself with drawing ideas, of recreating a meaningful image or scene, or of tapping into “the zone” and peacefully drawing or painting to your heart’s content. And then there’s the academic side. It’s point A in your journey, as this is where you learn the drawing techniques that others before you have mastered.

For the artist on everyone’s holiday gift list, including your own, here are our Top 10 Art Technique Videos to instruct and inspire.Nancy Reyner’s Acrylic RevolutionPainting Realistic Landscapes in Pastel: Skies with Liz Haywood-SullivanHow to Paint Skin Tones in Oil with Chris SaperEncaustic Techniques with Patricia Baldwin SeggebruchThree Stages for Successful Pastel Paintings with Richard McKinleyDrawing Secrets: Realistic Faces with Carrie Stuart ParksPainting the Sea in Watercolor with Grant FullerPainting Trees in Watercolor, Pen Ink with Claudia NiceColor Harmony for Luminous Pastels with Colleen HoweBasic Acrylic Painting: Tips Techniques with Mark MehaffeyNancy Reyner’s Acrylic RevolutionA favorite since Nancy created this DVD with Artistsnetwork.