Karl Bang's paintings are unique because he combines totally different styles of painting within the same format. It is very difficult to design a balanced composition with realistic elements that are juxtaposed with flat colors and patterns. The faces of his subjects are painted realistically in the Western tradition with subtle gradations of color; while, his figures and costumes vignette into abstracted shapes, lines, flat colors and patterns that reflect Karl's background in China. It is as though there are different visual languages being spoken within his paintings.

A girl holds her brother in her arm as black smoke rises after an oil well set on fire in the center of al-Kayyara town to the south of Daesh terror organization-held Mosul in Iraq on October 25, 2016. The oil well in the center of al-Kayyara town, which was set alight by retreating Daesh militants in advance of the Iraqi army's takeover of the town on August 24, 2016 has still not entirely been put out. The raw petrol which is still alight is creating black clouds above the city. The residents and wildlife beneath this polluting smoke cloud may find their health at risk. The effects of the fire in the town center on unprotected civilians' health can easily be seen on the hands and faces of children playing on the street. (Photo by dris Okuducu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Light is the sole reason why life exists. It provides us with warmth; it allows us to see; it nourishes all the living things on this planet. Many painters, especially the masters of Old Renaissance Period, have recognized the importance of light and its intimate connection with nature and life itself. In their paintings they gave tribute to light, giving the impression that their paintings had a light source hidden within them. Al Hogue, the artist who created the paintings that you see before you, has studied their techniques for many years. As time went by, light permeated not only his paintings by also his life, becoming his sole philosophy.

Liu Yi, Chinese painter, was born in Shanghai in 1958. He was a Fine Arts graduate from the Hua Dong University for Education. He did his postgraduate study of watercolor painting at the China College of Fine Arts. He lectures at university for painting and design. He is a member of the Chinese Artists Association and is also a member of the Watercolor Painting Artists Association. He is the retired Deputy President of the Shanghai Watercolor Painting Society, and is currently the Deputy Principal of the Shanghai Arts and Technical College. He is a very accomplished watercolor painter in China.

Melanie Baier from the village Obergurig wearing a traditional Lusatian sorbian folk dress, paints an Easter egg in traditional Sorbian motives at the annual Easter egg market on March 24, 2012 in Schleife, near Hoyerswerda, Germany. Easter egg painting is a strong part of Sorbian tradition and visual elements within the painting are meant to ward off evil. (Photo by Carsten Koall/Getty Images)

Garbage pickers collect ride on donkey cart while looking for recyclable materials at a rubbish dump in the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq, August 23, 2016. Despite its huge untapped oil and gas reserves and steadily rising oil output and revenue, 23 percent of the population live below the poverty line, according to the Ministry of Planning. (Photo by Khalid al Mousily/Reuters)

An artist has given classic paintings new hope – by adding Star Wars elements into the famous works. David Hamilton, 50, put his unique twist on paintings by the likes of Monet, Munch, Rembrandt and Van Gogh. The creative artist, from Livingston, Scotland, came up with the idea while flicking through a book of classic paintings. As a Star Wars fanatic he thought to himself how funny it would be funny to see a Stormtrooper incorporated into one of the works. Here: Rembrandt, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. (Photo by Dave Hamilton/Caters News)

In this March 19, 2016 photo, Kay Pike transforms herself using body paint and latex into Superman while live streaming at her home in Calgary, Alberta. Pike refers to all her creations as her “little paint children”. She said it would be boring and lonely to do the painting without an audience. (Photo by Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP Photo)