Shop Original Art From Our Global
Community of Independent Artists

Curator Picks

Handpicked by expert art curators


View All →


What is Bidgala?

Read our young & bold story

PIC1

Bidgala is a fine art marketplace, catering to homeowners and design professionals. We connect art lovers directly with student and emerging artists who sell their original art at lower prices. Our mission is to make art accessible by empowering artists one sale, one connection and one story at a time.

Artworks are shipped directly from the artists’ studio to your home. Each purchase is in support of independent artists and their craft.

PIC1

Knowing who’s artwork is hanging in your home and connecting with them on a personal level makes every purchase more meaningful. Purchase confidently by connecting with artists through Bidgala DMs or by reading artist stories in their profiles.


Card image cap
Card image cap
Card image cap
Card image cap
Card image cap
Card image cap



Find Art You Love

"Bidgala’s art advisors help make the experience of shopping for art easy and enjoyable. Whether you’re looking for a specific piece or want to discover some of our emerging artists, we will walk you through the simple process. "

work with an art advisor



Card image cap
All
Bob Ross: An Artist Profile

You might have heard the name 'Bob Ross' if you are an art enthusiast. Robert Norman Ross was a television show host, an art instructor, and one of America's most famous painters, with more than 1000 landscape paintings.

...
Photo by Carroll Bryant

Although the American artist was most well-known in the 1980s and 1990s, many people still find inspiration in him and still adore him. His charitable and gentle character attracted recognition on a global scale. Both his behaviour and work have demonstrated this. Streaming services, such as Netflix and Youtube have allowed for a resurgence in his popularity by introducing him to an entire new generation. He became so popular that there is now Bob Ross merchandise available.

He stood out from the other artists with his distinctive, calming voice and words of inspiration. Bob Ross is credited with coining the famous adage, "We don't make mistakes, only happy little accidents." There was a kindness to him that made people particularly fond of him.

His works were donated to PBS, a public non-profit that produces educational art television programming. The American artist was well known for his love of wildlife and for caring for and keeping small animals as pets. Additionally, Ross also served in the military for twenty years and was not paid for any of his television shows.

...
Photo by together we served

His videos and working methods were intended to demonstrate to people that art is simple to learn and that everyone can do it. He had a unique way of looking at art education. It also fueled individuals with ambition by demonstrating that painting is a skill that can be acquired without going to school. His goal was to educate an audience of art lovers rather than to paint for galleries, lucrative businesses, or museums.

...
Bob Ross in The Joy of Painting from BBC

Almost all of Bob Ross’s art pieces, as seen in his videos, were completed fast and without difficulty. His viewers not only watched him for his talented skills but also because there was a certain satisfaction to watching his brushes glide on the oil paints, accompanied by his loving demeanour. His contributions to the art community will forever live on.

Today, Bob’s original paintings sell for an estimated $8,000 to $10,000, according to Bob Ross Inc. Art Enthusiasts can see some of Bob Ross’s authentic art online and displayed at the Bob Ross Art Workshop & Gallery, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

“You can do anything here – the only prerequisite is that it makes you happy.” -Bob Ross

Created on: May 24, 2023, 4:49 a.m.

Card image cap
All
Interior Design Tips: A Beginner’S Guide To Different Types Of Printmaking

Printmaking is the process of creating original artwork on paper, wood, or fabric. It is achieved by using traditional hand-pressed techniques such as relief, intaglio, Lithography, or electronic machines (printer). Prints can be sold online on online platforms, such as BIDGALA, or in brick-and-mortar stores. Below are a few types of printmaking techniques you should know and how they work.

1. Relief Printmaking

Relief is a stamp that enables the transfer of an image from one surface to another. In relief printmaking, the image area is raised while the non-image area is left below, which permits the raised image to be stamped onto a new surface – creating original artwork. This is one of the first printmaking systems which dates back to China (about 255 B.C.). Relief is still one of the most common forms of printmaking today because a press is not required to transfer an image from stencil to paper. It is equally a low-tech and affordable way of producing images.

- Woodcutting

Woodcutting is a form of relief printmaking used for printing books, images, and decorating textiles. According to literary critic George E. Woodberry, woodcutting revolutionized printmaking and peoples’ access to literature and art around the 15th century. It enabled the mass printing of popular texts and images such as the bible, Buddhist sutras, etc. To achieve a woodcut print, an artist first carves a design into a wood block, adds ink on the raised wood surface and presses the inked surface on a paper or cloth to create a print.

- Collagraphy

Collagraphy is another form of relief printmaking introduced in 1955 by artist Glen Alps. This process is different from woodcutting in that rather than carving a printing plate to create an elevated surface, materials such as leaves, grass, strings, etc. are added to the surface of the printing plate to create a collagraph. The added material which does not exceed a quarter of an inch elevates the surface on which ink is added. The inked surface is then pressed on paper or any material with the aid of a printing press or hand tools, creating an image that mimics the different materials and textures added to the printing plate. Unlike woodcutting, collagraphy provides more flexibility in creating complex textures and markings.

2. Intaglio (Drypoint, Etching, and Engraving)

In this printmaking process, the image area to be printed is engraved below the flat surface of the printing plate. This method is the opposite of relief printmaking where the raised area holds the image and the ink used to recreate the design. Here are the different types of intaglio printing processes:

- Drypoint

Drypoint involves scarring the surface of a plate to displace the existing metal and create a pattern rather than completely removing the metal. When you scratch on a drypoint plate, you create a burr or a raised metal from the displaced metal. The ink sits underneath that burr as well as in the V-trough where the scratch was and is later transferred onto paper to create an original art piece.

- Etching

This is a popular intaglio technique where acid is used to erode the exposed parts of the metal printing plate and create a design. This process is different from drypoint in that the surface is scratched shallowly to remove ground on the printing plate through a process called biting, leaving the image area below the surface of the plate. To recreate the image, the printing plate is coated with varnish and dipped into acid. The acid then erases the metal, leaving just the ground surface with the design. Ink is later added to the plate and placed in a printing press with paper to create the design.

- Engraving

This is one of the oldest and most complicated forms of printmaking. It involves carving into a printing plate by hand using a steel cutting tool known as a burin. The plate is then covered with ink and the surface is wiped clean. After that, the plate is placed in a printing press which pushes the paper into the holes containing ink. The paper absorbs the ink, revealing the design inscribed on the plate.

The main difference between intaglio and relief is that with intaglio, what is carved into the plate holds the ink that recreates the design. Meanwhile, the parts you don’t carve hold ink in relief printmaking.

3. Lithography

Lithography is a process of printing from a stone (lithographic limestone), a metal plate, or a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by German author and actor Alois Senefelder and was commonly used for creating musical scores and maps. The most beautiful thing about lithography is that a design can be created in one colour and printed in another. Lithography is similar to drawing because of the freedom it gives artists. It is based on the theory that oil and water don’t mix. To achieve a design, a printing plate is rolled with an oil-based ink before creating a desired pattern. Once the pattern is completed, talcum powder, resin, liquid-etch solution, gum arabic, etc. are applied to the stone. This enables the inked image areas to stick to the surface of the stone before the image is printed with a press. This process is unique because it captures the exact mark created by the artist on the printing plate.

4. Screen printing

Screen or silkscreen printing is a process whereby images are printed with an instrument made from a synthetic polymer known as a mesh using a stencilling technique. To achieve this print, a knife is used to create a design (stencil) from a self-adhesive plastic film. The stencil is then glued to the surface of a mesh screen before placing the screen on printing paper. Afterward, the ink is released into the shapes created by the stencil onto the paper. This method is different from surface printing in that the print isn’t created directly from the surface of a block or plate.

Screen print can also be created by placing light-sensitive emulsion on the surface of the screen and using a computer to print the design. This method is common among artists and designers as it helps them create detailed screens. The first record of screen printing dates back to China during the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD). It has since been copied and adapted over the years.

5. Digital printing

A digital print is a printmaking technique that transfers a digital image onto different surfaces (textile, paper, etc.) using laser or inkjet printers. When compared to more traditional methods such as relief printing, digital printing avoids the technical costs of creating printing plates. It also offers on-demand printing, modification possibilities, and short turnaround times. Digital printing is presently the most inexpensive way to create mass prints.

This list of printing methods is by no means exhaustive. There are other types of printing processes – feel free to share those you are familiar with in the comment section.

Created on: May 17, 2023, 3:25 a.m.

Card image cap
All
Duck Stamps: A Realistic Art Contest That Helps Preserve America’S Wetlands.

One of the most prestigious art collections any art lover can start happens to feature some of the smallest original art pieces. The American Federal Duck Stamp is no ordinary postage stamp - it's not a postage stamp at all! Created in 1934 to preserve American wetlands, the Migratory Bird, Hunting, and Conservation Stamp, colloquially referred to as the duck stamp, is an eco-friendly initiation that is used as a hunting license. Waterfowl hunters must have a valid duck stamp on their person or face hunting fines. The sales of these stamps directly protect American wildlife habitats, as 98 cents on every dollar sold goes to the preservation of wetlands. Since the stamp’s creation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has protected over 6 million acres of wetlands.

...
The first duck stamp: brush and ink drawings of Mallards by Jay N. "Ding" Darling

But this stamp isn’t only relevant to hunters; since 1949, the new stamp was determined by a yearly public art competition. Emerging artists across America dedicate months to creating realistic art of the selected waterfowl for this prestigious art competition. While the competition has no prize per se, the winner of the contest can license and keep the rights to their design. This opportunity for winners to make millions off of duck stamp sales alone has given the contest the moniker “the million-dollar duck.”

...
2022-23 Winner: Tundra Swan by Joe Hautman

The process of the competition is quite simple. From June to August, emerging artists submit their artworks to the address listed on the contest’s website; while the specific dates change from year to year, this year's artists may begin submitting on June 1 and must have their art postmarked no later than August 15. In September, the judges gather to critique the submissions. After three rounds of judging, the winner is decided. While the last few years had the judging live-streamed online due to Covid restrictions, this year the judging will take place in person on September 15 & 16 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Artworks must meet several criteria before getting considered for first place. The most important factor is realism. The point of the competition is not just to create a new stamp, but to highlight America's beautiful and diverse ecology. So, the winning stamp must be an anatomically correct, realistic art piece. Next is practicality; can the artwork be scaled down to the size of a stamp and retain its detail? Can the necessary topography be added without obscuring the artwork? Finally, the judges are looking for original art pieces. New submissions should look different from past stamps. You can find more information on the rules and expectations of the contest on their website.

The contest is open to citizens, nationals, and residents of the United States who are over 18 years old and there’s no limit to the number of times an artist is allowed to compete, however, winners must wait 3 years before they may reapply. The current record for most wins is held by brothers Joseph (Joe) and James (Jim) Hautman, both having the honour of winning six times respectively. The Hautman brothers are quite notorious in the duck stamp world; along with their third brother Robert (Bob), their stamp submissions have collectively garnered 15 wins total. It’s not uncommon for one Hautman to win after another one the year prior. This propensity for winning earned the brothers a Duck Dynasty in the art world long before the A&E tv show aired.

In recent years, duck stamp sales have gone down, putting wetland preservation efforts in jeopardy. Because of this recent decline, many have tried to raise awareness of the contest and its eco-friendly cause. American artist Rob McBroom regularly applies to the duck stamp competition with artworks that don’t fit the criteria of realistic art. While he knows he won’t win, his creative style will bring a broader audience to the competition.

...
Canvasback 2013 by Rob McBroom

With a similar tactic in mind, comedian and talk show host John Oliver from Last Week Tonight commissioned 5 submissions for the contest in 2021. While the paintings are in a more realistic style than that of McBroom, the compositions are quite humorous, depicting ducks in uncanny situations. While, tragically, none of the artworks have made it past the first round, Oliver auctioned off the paintings and raised over 90,000 dollars for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

...
Duck with a Pearl Earring by Omar Rayyan
...
Duck Hunting Hunters by Josie Morway

An unintentional success was the work of American artist Kira Fennel (she/them), who went viral on TikTok after documenting their artistic process for her duck stamp in 2021. While their first two submissions didn’t make it past the first round of judging, Fennel’s submissions in 2021 and 2022 respectively made it through to the second round of judging. This year, Fennel is hoping their painting’s score will improve compared to last year’s. You can follow Fennel’s journey on their TikTok and hopefully see them accomplish their goal of winning the duck stamp before they turn 25.

...
Bucket the Mottled Duck Hen 2022 by Kira Fennel

Are you excited for this year’s duck stamp contest? Are you thinking of submitting an original artwork? Do you know of other art organizations that support environmental causes? Let us know in the comments below!

Created on: May 10, 2023, 3:49 a.m.


Free Returns

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. If you're not completely in love with art you purchase, return it for free. No questions asked.

Recently Viewed

Grab these before they sell


BIDGALA DIGEST


There seems to be an error. Please try again later!.