Unusual Art Materials and Ideas
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 are not dangerous when used in tubed paint, many artists purchase them separately for mixing their own paints. This is …
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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 the artist, here’s the problem: In order to regulate the use? of any chemical, the Environmental Protection Agency must prove …
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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 transparent paints, and neither charcoal nor graphite deal with the issues raised by color. One solution is to do the …
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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 requires art materials to be labeled so that you know if they are toxic. Their argument is that the law …
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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 David, Roger van der Weyden and Hans Memling. This is the period when oil painting took over from egg tempera. …
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At one point, cadmium red was thought to be a safer alternative to vermilion (cinnabar). Because of the mercury in vermilion, it was considered the death sentence for miners. However cadmium is not really that much better. It accumulates in the body, gives no warning symptoms, and is considered by …
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It is always interesting to hear about the different ways artists use Oil of Spike Lavender. This is a description from one artist who recently wrote us:
“Oil of spike lavender is less toxic then natural orange turpene and is actually better than turpentine as a solvent, something I did …
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“The painter who prepares his own materials knows them in a very different way from one who buys them ready made.”
Recently a promotion for artist’s oil paints was mailed to thousands of artists across the country. The extra large size featured paints at a super low price. They are said to be a great value, with strong pigment content. Any seasoned artist should be wary of such. Not all pigments …
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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 Alps destroyed anything the artists did within a short period of time. So Ludwig called on Bavarian scientists to produce …
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