Leonardo and Light
According to Mark Balma, Leonard Da Vinci was an innovator in the realm of painting, as well as his many other inventions. In the previous tradition before Leonardo, painters would
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History
LEONARDO DA VINCI Painting Techniques
2019 is Leonardo da Vinci’s 500th Anniversary. In the articles and videos that follow on this page, Leonardo specialist and artist Mark Balma explores Leonardo’s painting materials and techniques.
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COMING FULL CIRCLE FOR ARTISTS
Globally we are coming full circle, returning to biobased materials. In fact, many early artist materials were based on natural oils, rosins, waxes, gums, polysaccharides, and other materials. One of
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The Mystery of Sfumato
Much of today’s art places stress on bright colors and strong sharp lines. In a gallery the “high contrast” look will always stand out, leaping off the wall. However, there
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The Color of a Culture
Can a culture develop an identity around certain colors? In the case of Indian Yellow, it appears to be the case. Indian Yellow, a beautiful yellow with overtones of vermilion,
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OIL OF SPIKE LAVENDER AND “VENICE OF THE NORTH”
Bruges, in the Flemish region of Belgium, is sometimes called the “Venice of the North”. During the 1400s, it was home to such famous painters as Jan van Eyck, Geerard
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WHO GAVE COLORS THEIR NAMES?
In the mid-19th century, King Ludwig I of Bavaria longed to have something like the fine lime frescoes he saw in Italy. But the damp cold climate north of the
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HAS WHITE BEEN USED TOO MUCH BY ARTISTS?
“The tendency to put in more and more white is so usual that it would be well to restrict the white. Keep it off the palette. Allow only so much
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THE SECRET OF THE OLD MASTERS!
Artists sometimes are fascinated by the search for a “Secret” that makes old master paintings last so long and look so great. One eighteenth century painter, Sir Joshua Reynolds, suggested
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THE MAGIC FLY AND THE NEW ART
According to legend, Giotto was the ugliest artist in town, but he was also the greatest illusionist. As a boy, Giotto was able to work under Cimabue, the highly renowned
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