Save Every Last Drop of Canada Balsam
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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Materials
The Self Destructing Painting
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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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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Unusual Textured Gesso Effects
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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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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Green Acrylics?
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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FIREWORKS IN THE STUDIO – DRY PIGMENTS
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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KEEP IT SIMPLE
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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COLOR UNDER-DRAWING
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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Should the Hazardous Art Materials Law be Repealed?
Recently the Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety (ACTS) people in New York called for the repeal of the labeling of the Hazardous Art Materials Act. This the the law that
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