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Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

CONTEMPORARY STYLE

Used to refer to a time rather than an aesthetic, Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. This immediacy means it encompasses art responding to the present moment through diverse subjects, media and themes. Contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, performance, digital art, video and more frequently includes work that is attempting to reshape current ideas about what art can be, from Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s use of candy to memorialize a lover he lost to AIDS-related complications to Jenny Holzer’s ongoing “Truisms,” a Conceptual series that sees provocative messages printed on billboards, T-shirts, benches and other public places that exist outside of formal exhibitions and the conventional “white cube” of galleries.

Contemporary art has been pushing the boundaries of creative expression for years. Its disruption of the traditional concepts of art are often aiming to engage viewers in complex questions about identity, society and culture. In the latter part of the 20th century, contemporary movements included Land art, in which artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Heizer create large-scale, site-specific sculptures, installations and other works in soil and bodies of water; Sound art, with artists such as Christian Marclay and Susan Philipsz centering art on sonic experiences; and New Media art, in which mass media and digital culture inform the work of artists such as Nam June Paik and Rafaël Rozendaal.

The first decades of the 21st century have seen the growth of Contemporary African art, the revival of figurative painting, the emergence of street art and the rise of NFTs, unique digital artworks that are powered by blockchain technology.

Major Contemporary artists practicing now include Ai Weiwei, Cecily Brown, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Kara Walker.

Find a collection of Contemporary prints, photography, paintings, sculptures and other art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Contemporary
O
Located in Fairlawn, OH
O Watercolor on Yupo paper, 2018 Signed with the artist's initials (see photo) Note: The Series MORE? is centered around the artist’s family. There are two images of the artist’s s...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Olivia Kemp Ink Drawing - Agony in the Garden
Located in London, GB
Olivia Kemp’s ink drawings are both intricate and expansive, fruit of an intuitive stream-of-consciousness approach to drawing. She works in pen on paper w...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper

Roundism – 04-06-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism – 04-06-18 I was attracted by the musculature of the model’s back and wanted also to map this even more by emphasizing the oblique position of the torso by means of a...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Pensando en ti, Marzo 13, Drawing
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Pensando en ti, Marzo 13, 2014 by Celso Castro Watercolor on archival paper Image size: 39.2 H in. x 28 in. W Unframed ____________ Undefined by medium, Celso Castro’s works each ca...
Category

1990s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Watercolor

Three Ponds - Contemporary Expressive Landscape Oil Pastel Painting
Located in Salzburg, AT
Janusz Kokot was born in Kalisz in 1960. He studied at the Pedagogical University in Częstochowa at the Art Institute. He practices painting and drawing. In the years 1988 - 2020 he ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Oil Pastel

Untitled - Drawing by Julio Galan - 1988
Located in Roma, IT
Untitled is a contemporary arteork realized by Julio Galan in 1988. Mixed colored pastel on paper. Hand signed and dated on the higher margin. Provenanc...
Category

1980s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pastel

Blue Bear Waltzes
Located in Austin, TX
This drawing by Lu Ann Barrow depicts two boys and a girl riding tricycles past a tall brick wall covered in poster. The posters read "Blue Bear Waltzes Presents Wolfgang & Strauss"....
Category

1970s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Archival Paper

"Butterfly Jubilee" floral motif in watercolor
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This piece titled "Butterfly Jubilee" is an original artwork by Jackie Small and is made of watercolor, and gouache on paper. This piece measures 30”h x 22.5”w About Space 1026...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Gouache

La Terremoto - Drawing by Sandra Vásquez de la Horra - 2013
Located in Roma, IT
La Terremoto is a contemporary artwork realized by Sandra Vásquez de la Horra in 2013. Pencil on waxed paper. Hand signed on the back. Sandra Vasquez De La Horra was born in Viña ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Gamut, Gray, White, Graphite Waves Undulating Lines Pattern
Located in Kent, CT
Through layered undulations in gray on a white background, Margaret Neill investigates the properties of abstract curvilinear forms found in the localized conditions of her surroundi...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Graphite

La Fuerza - Drawing by Sandra Vásquez de la Horra - 2014
Located in Roma, IT
La Fuerza is a contemporary artwork realized by Sandra Vásquez de la Horra in 2014. Pencil on waxed paper. Hand signed on the back. Sandra Vasquez De La Horra was born in Viña del...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

36 Years (Tree Rings Series)
Located in New York, NY
Steven L. Anderson 36 Years, 2015 marker and pen on paper 8 x 8 inches The Tree Rings artworks are made on paper which is torn and reassembled, scratched, a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Archival Paper, Permanent Marker

"Coasting Sailboat, " Pastel on Paper Seascape signed by Reginald K. Gee
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Coasting Sailboat" is an original pastel drawing by Reginald K. Gee. The artist signed the piece lower right. It depicts a white sailboat on a dark sea with a colorful background. ...
Category

1990s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pastel

Five Female Nudes
Located in New York, NY
This is a drawing by Paul Cadmus offered by CLAMP in New York City. Five Female Nudes n.d. Signed, u.r. Color crayon on paper 10.5 x 18.5 inches (26.7 x 47 cm), sheet
Category

20th Century Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Crayon, Paper

Nude, Drawing, Pen & Ink on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Painting: Ink and Acrylic on Paper. Nude 001 Nude Woman Ink & Acrylic on 140 lb / 300 g paper (acid free). Certificate of authenticity provided. This Nude painting will be...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pen

Solo el Alma es Verdadera - Drawing by Sandra Vásquez de la Horra - 2013
Located in Roma, IT
Solo el alma es verdadera is a contemporary artwork realized by Sandra Vásquez de la Horra in 2013. Pencil on waxed paper. Hand signed on the back. Sandra Vasquez De La Horra was ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Shadow of a Doubt
Located in Boxholm, SE
Jolanta Johnsson, experienced Polish artist, graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, PhD of fine arts, university teacher. She currently lives in Sweden. This is how she writ...
Category

1990s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Acrylic, Pen

Baja la Mascara - Drawing by Sandra Vásquez de la Horra - 2014
Located in Roma, IT
Baja la mascara is a contemporary artwork realized by Sandra Vásquez de la Horra in 2014. Pencil on waxed paper. Hand signed on the back. Sandra Vasquez De La Horra was born in Vi...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

New York City Jazz Club by Sax Berlin
Located in Brecon, Powys
Ode to master bassman and composer Lincoln Schleifer from the New York music scene. Sax's look into his head with the musicians seeing, breathing and enveloped by the music. Yet ag...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Gouache

Jacques Stettiner
Located in New York, NY
This work by Pavel Tchelitchew (1898-1957) is offered by CLAMP In New York City. Jacques Stettiner c. 1927 Signature stamp in purple ink, verso; Also titled in pencil, verso Ink o...
Category

1920s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink

Roundism – 05-07-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism – 05-07-18 I was very happy with the result of my latest session with my favorite model. She showed great triangular structures and edges. Besides that I have her use p...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Untitled Women and man. Pencil on archival paper
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Untitled, 1997 by Celso Castro-Daza Pencil on archival paper Image size: 39 in. H x 48 in. W Sheet size: 45 in. H x 59 in. W Unique Drawing on paper is his basic work tool, some ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil, Archival Paper

The Carolingian Chapel – 30-06-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
The Carolingian Chapel – 30-06-18 When I was visiting the Bastei, a new museum at the base of the Valkhof at Nijmegen, Gelderland, Netherlands, my eye caught the Sint-Nicolaaska...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Llanto Piramidal - Drawing by Sandra Vásquez de la Horra - 2013
Located in Roma, IT
Llanto piramidal is a contemporary artwork realized by Sandra Vásquez de la Horra in 2013. Pencil on waxed paper. Hand signed on the back. Sandra Vasquez De La Horra was born in V...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

American Contemporary Art by David Paul Kay - Untitled 4
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink on paper David Paul Kay is an American contemporary artist born in 1982 who lives and works in New York City, USA. With a focus on vibrant lines and intricate compositions, Kay ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink

Jose antonio, Martes 7 de julio, Figurative painting
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Jose antonio, Martes 7 de julio 2016, by Celso Castro Crayon Pastel on archival paper Image size: 60 H in. x 38 in. W Unframed On The back of the painting: Abstract, 1986 Pencil a...
Category

1990s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pastel, Crayon, Archival Paper

X from The Message Series - Contemporary Abstract Oil Pastel Painting, Framed
Located in Salzburg, AT
The art work is already framed. The size of the unframed artwork: 45x45 cm, framed 47 x 47 cm Janusz Kokot was born in Kalisz in 1960. He studied at the Pedagogical University in C...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Oil Pastel

S from The Message Series - Contemporary Abstract Oil Pastel Painting, Framed
Located in Salzburg, AT
The art work is already framed. They are simple silver frames The size of the unframed artwork: 45x45 cm, framed 47 x 47 cm Janusz Kokot was born in Kalisz in 1960. He studied at th...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Oil Pastel

END OF INNOCENCE by Paula Craioveanu Large Blue Nude
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"End of Innocence" Part of "Blue Nude" series, inspired by Matisse works on paper. Original large drawing. Size 27.5x39in / 70x100cm . Tempera on col...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Tempera, Paper

American Contemporary Art by David Paul Kay - Untitled 3
Located in Paris, IDF
Ink on paper David Paul Kay is an American contemporary artist born in 1982 who lives and works in New York City, USA. With a focus on vibrant lines and intricate compositions, Kay ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink

Romy Schneider (2013), Drawing, Pastels on Other
Located in Yardley, PA
Romy Schneider (2013) A cubistic prestudy for an oil painting. Pastel drawing on Hahnemühle velours paper (50 x 70 x 0.1 cm) Artist: Corné Akkers :: Drawing :: Contemporar...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pastel

Roundism – 07-09-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism – 07-09-18 The second drawing I did of my Spanish model Julia Gómez Avilés. In preparation of the long pose for the pastel she did some stretching and almost dance-li...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Roundism – 12-06-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism – 12-06-18 It is time to put down a kind of art statement for a change. Lately I came to think about my kind of art a lot, inspired by comments and questions like what ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Fluctus 5 - Red grey brown abstract seascape paper collage on wood board
Located in New York, NY
Marie Laforey is a self-taught artist based in New York, US who maintains a sustainable art practice using primarily organic material. Laforey enjoys the tactility of working with or...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper

Roundism – 17-04-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism – 17-04-18 In this drawing I tried to combine the edgy triangular bodyscapes with a circular movement of the model. Although the reference picture did not sbow much con...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Roundism – 29-11-17, Drawing, Pastels on Pastel Sandpaper
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism – 29-11-17 Based on a earlier roundism graphite pencil drawing I made this pastel adding the realm of colours. I wanted the woman appear in a kind of midsummernight’...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pastel

Sans titre - 21-04-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Sans titre - 21-04-18 When I saw a picture of a young Catherine Deneuve I immediately saw the potential for my roundism style. The challenge was to capture the cool distant look i...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

The Hague Forest – 21-06-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
The Hague Forest – 21-06-18 When I ride my bike through The Hague Forest (Haagse Bos) just around the corner I see only beauty. Leafy light and shadow play. But at one time I bi...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Sans titre – 01-05-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Sans titre – 01-05-18 This is the first art statement on a drawing I wrote before completing it. It is time to express my dissatisfaction with today’s modern art. Having visit...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Roundism – 10-09-19, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism – 10-09-19 I saw this great vintage picture of a nude on the roof top of an open van and I liked the styled planes it already showed: the squares in the open door, some...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Sans titre - 09-05-14, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Sans titre - 09-05-14 In my 'sans titre' series it was obvious that eye charmer Audrey Hepburn couldn't be missed so I did her cubistically too. Graphite pencil drawing (Pentel...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

In the Mirror 2 - original female nude by Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
In the Mirror 2 , nude, ultramarine tempera on colored paper, inspired by Matisse. Part of Nude in Interior series. Shipped rolled in a tube, directly from the artist's studio. 1s...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Tempera, Archival Paper

Fluctus 3 - Blue grey black abstract seascape paper collage on wood board
Located in New York, NY
Marie Laforey is a self-taught artist based in New York, US who maintains a sustainable art practice using primarily organic material. Laforey enjoys the tactility of working with or...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper

Roundism – 12-04-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism – 12-04-18 In the model I saw a great looking egg on her buttocks and thigh. Since Spring has arrived I took the liberty to freely meditate on a nude woman, however cub...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Julia – 19-11-19, Drawing, Pastels on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Julia – 19-11-19 Saturday 16th Novembern2019 I had Julia Gómes Avilés over as a model again. I wanted to express her dancing skills by a dynamic pose in which she holds her fo...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pastel

Roundism – 30-05-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism – 30-05-18 This drawing is all about the sensuality of the female figure. Even though the model did not show too much tonal bandwith I was able to discover some real gr...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Roundism – 08-05-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism – 08-05-18 I found this great reference picture on which the model was heavily backlit, distorting her figure in the centre of it. That was the starting point of findin...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Primavera Pop Five, Geometric Flower Mandala, Bright Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue
Located in Kent, CT
This multicolored drawing has a beautiful, soft mottled texture created with Judge's unique powered pigment technique. Primavera Pop 5 is a geometric flower mandala shape with delica...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Rag Paper, Pigment

Bettie Page - 19-05-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Bettie Page - 19-05-18 I found this great early picture of a young Bettie Page posing before her pin-up days of fame. Like all previous reference pictures this one shows great li...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Lorelei – 12-07-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Lorelei – 12-07-18 I always tell my students that art is about seeing one thing in another, just like tasting wine and describing it by comparing to something completely differe...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Roundism – 17-07-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Roundism – 17-07-18 Another session with my model and I used an unusual point of view: above her and it took the challenge to capture the foreshortened shapes of her body. Lucki...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Summer in Holland – 25-07-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Summer in Holland – 25-07-18 In the dead of summer it is so hot here in The Hague I had double vision. That is why I serve two women for the price of one. Graphite pencil dra...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

An archeological memory of Bettie Page – 13-11-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pen
Located in Yardley, PA
An archeological memory of Bettie Page – 13-11-18 The reference picture I used was slightly different from the one I used for ‘The revelation of Bettie Page (2018)’. I kept ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Sans titre – 26-10-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Sans titre – 26-10-18 When I was looking at the reference picture of Angie Dickinson my colleague at Studio Brugman, Gilbert said her face looked almost chiseled like a statue. ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

De Koepel (The Dome) at Voorburg – 01-11-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on
Located in Yardley, PA
De Koepel (The Dome) at Voorburg – 01-11-18 When I go to teach at Studio Brugman, atVoorburg I often come across The Dome (De Koepel), situated in the middle of estate ‘Vreugd...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Aquatic superbeing – 06-11-18, Drawing, Pencil/Colored Pencil on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Aquatic superbeing – 06-11-18 This drawing is all about the aquatic qualities of the body of a woman. I feel it to be a privilege to look at female buttocks being part of my pro...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

In Chains - Male Nude original art by Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"In Chains" Male Nude inspired by St Sebastian. Ultramarine tempera on colored paper. Size 27.5x19.5in / 70x50cm . See the other nudes from the same series. Shipped rolled in a...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Tempera, Carbon Pencil

Figure 180908, Drawing, Charcoal on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
A mixed media - charcoal, graphite, and acrylic drawing on paper. :: Drawing :: Contemporary :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Charcoal

Contemporary drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Contemporary drawings and watercolor paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add drawings and watercolor paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, purple, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Leo Guida, Reginald K. Gee, David Barnett, and Luis Miguel Valdes . Frequently made by artists working with Paper, and Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Contemporary drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 0.79 inches across are also available. Prices for drawings and watercolor paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $60 and tops out at $295,000, while the average work sells for $1,201.

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