Unusual Art Materials and Ideas
By William F. Martin For years I struggled, attempting to paint a portrait that displayed a relatively accurate likeness of the subject. I tried gridding, sketching, accurate drawing, using “classic
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The well known and highly regarded artist Bill Martin has a great idea about how to save your Canada Balsam… Don’t waste even a dram of your precious Canada Balsam.
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Recently, while visiting an upscale gallery to look for new art, I came across a painting that I enjoyed very much. Wanting to learn about the artist’s technique, I looked
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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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Many people use Masonite or birch boards rather than canvas for painting supports. Usually, artists use boards because they desire a smooth surface, allowing for great detail. But sometimes there
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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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Acrylic paints often contain small percentages of formaldehyde or ammonia as preservatives. These can cause allergic reactions in some individuals, especially if they are using large amounts of polymer medium
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Iron oxide is possibly the single most common pigment used in oil and acrylic paints. Powdered aluminum is used in all the silver, gold, and “metallic” colors. While these pigments
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According to the Chemical Abstract Service, there are now over 50 million chemicals listed in their catalogues. New chemicals are being produced at the rate of 25 per minute. For
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An artist friend in California sent an email with this idea. Historically, charcoal and pencils have commonly been used for under-drawings on canvas. The problem is, graphite can show through
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