Painting with Wine (For Real)

Wine can be used for more than serving with dinner, or helping make a bad day fade away … There are several artists in the world who paint with wine.

Red wine makes a great watercolor paint, just as coffee and tea do, but reducing the wine before using keeps the colors darker. The best method is to pour half a bottle in a pan and heat on medium-low for 10-15 minutes. Do not reduce too much or it will burn. (Of course, that might be an interesting color …)

Painting with wine is basically the same as using real watercolor paints. Remember, the wine needs time to dry. If you get your hand into wet wine paint, you could make a mess of your canvas.

Sangiovese

Merlot

You can vary the depth of the colors by using the different colored red wines. For example, using a Cabernet, Merlot or Malbec will give a more deep purplish-red color. For a red-orange hue try Sangiovese or Tempranillo.

Painting by Nelva Richardson

There are several well-known artists who paint with wine. Nelva B. Richardson started as a medical illustrator but while vacationing in Italy, she created thank-you cards and painted them with wine. Today, Richardson does scenic wine paintings and wine portraits, listing the name of the wine and the vintage on each. For more, visit her site Painting With Wine.

The Dalai Lama by Philippe Dufrenoy

Another wine painting artist is Philippe Dufrenoy. He worked as an engineer for years but discovered a passion for painting.  It all began when he splashed some of his red wine across a paper tablecloth and liked the effect. Dufrenoy paints portraits with wine. He has said, ”Each bottle expresses the flavor of the land and the personality of the person who make it.” His site is Philippe Dufrenoy: The Man Who Paints with Wine.

Painting by Christina LoCascio

Christina LoCascio began working in the wine industry in 2002. Today, she uses wine as her palette for painting. LoCascio paints grapes, vineyards and wine bottles along with figuratives, landscapes and abstracts. Her sites is Wine Art.

 

So the next time you pour a glass of wine, think about how that vino would look on canvas – it could make for an interesting hobby, and a crafty use of wine.

~ Joy