Museum of Modern Art in New York City and Musee d’Orsay in Paris are two major art museums that the modern art enthusiast must visit. These two museums feature abstract art in its best form. Abstract painting is a form that can be difficult to appreciate, but for those who love it, these museums are must-sees.

Located in the heart of the city that never sleeps, the Museum of Modern Art, the MOMA, is praised all over the globe for its incredible collection of modern art. The museum has everything from projects made simply out of cardboard and a little bit or metal to the first set of moving pictures. Just recently, the MOMA had an exhibit titled “Paper: Pressed, Stained, Slashed and Folded” where the artist illustrated the different ways in which paper can be manipulated. The MOMA even shows films throughout the year. MOMA also has a part of the museum dedicated to modern photography. This famous museum also has a film component to it. Currently, MOMA is featuring a film called “Nollywood Babylon” which is a documentary about film in the African nation of Nigeria. The location of MOMA also makes it special. People come from around the world to view the collections housed in the MOMA.

Musee d’Orsay, is located in Paris, France along the Seine River. This museum is home to all of the different forms of contemporary art like sculptures, painting, books and film. The museum also features different kinds of contemporary art such as furniture. Interestingly enough, the museum was originally built out of a railway station. Not only does the museum feature contemporary art, but also work from the mid 1800s until the mid 1900s. It has incredible collections of photographs and architectural drawings. The museum has one of the best collections of impressionist art, a form of contemporary art, in the world. Probably one of the most interesting things about the museum is it features an exhibit of how the museum was originally designed. Like the MOMA, this museum’s location makes it even more spectacular. This is a museum that, if you are in Paris, you certainly do not want to miss. This museum has a type of artwork for everyone.

These two museums are perfect for those wanting to find incredible collections of contemporary art. Each is located in a beautiful spot of their respective cities, which makes them even more incredible. These museums also feature different types of exhibits than regular art museums such as, film, photography, and architecture. Even, if you are not a connoisseur of contemporary art, these museums are sure to have something for everyone. Next time you are in New York City or Paris, you should certainly consider taking a walk through these museums.

Some of the tools you’ll need for realistic drawings include, rulers, T-square, 2B pencil, HB pencil, 6B pencil, kneaded erasers, horsehair drafting brush, pink pearl eraser, blending tortillions, paper stumps, cotton, tissue paper, drawing board, templates or stencil guides with circles and ellipse, smooth Bristol board (two ply or heavier).

Once you have the tools, you’ll need to see things differently than what you’re used to. The first thing is to begin to see only shapes. Throughout the world, you can boil down everything into simple shapes. For example, your computer monitor is really a cube or a square in terms of seeing shapes. When you’re looking at a model for your realistic drawings, you’ll need to identify shapes. Fingers and legs can be boiled down into cylinders. Human noses can be boiled down into triangles. Human heads can be boiled down into egg shape.

After you’ve gotten the basic shapes down, you’ll go back and refine things a little until you have something similar on paper as what your original is. Next, you’ll define shading. Notice where lights and darks are. For darker areas you’ll use a softer pencil lead, such as a 6B or 2B. Be sure to apply adequate pressure. For lighter areas you’ll use a harder pencil lead, such as an HB with a little less pressure.

For textures such as drawing fur and hair, you’ll use a harder pencil that is sharpened, such as a 4 H or 6 H. Next, you’ll want to smooth and blend these shades with your paper stump, tortillions, tissue and cotton balls. Experiment with them on a separate sheet of paper to see the effect each has. You’ll need to be comfortable in using these and know the end result before you use them.

Another important component to realistic drawings is knowing your proportions. For example, the adult human is about seven to eight heads tall. Children are a little different. For example a little toddler’s head is larger in proportion to his body than the heads of adults in proportion to their bodies. This is why when inexperienced artists attempt to draw children, they come out looking like shorter adults. Proportions also rule the animal kingdom. There are different rules for drawing horses or lions than for humans. You’ll want to know the proportions before you render something.