Art Knowledge at Park Place Gallery

Watercolor paper

2008-05-01T16:15:00.000-05:00

The paper used for watercolor painting is a specialty heavy paper at least 90lb. (To give you an idea of the thickness, standard card stock is 60 or 80lb.) Heavier, thicker, paper, such as 140lb, will buckle less from the moisture used during the painting process.

Watercolor paper ranges from inexpensive (thick paper with texture) to expensive watercolor paper (cotton paper). It comes in two varieties: hot press (smooth) and cold press (bumpy).

Watercolor paper is sold in single sheets, in a pad or a block. Single large sheets are sold for artists to cut their own smaller sheets. A block of watercolor paper is sealed on all sides, which keeps the paper rigid.

More watercolor technique

2008-04-24T16:01:00.004-05:00

Layering is a technique used in watercolor as well as in other types of paintings. A wash has to completely dry before more can be done such as adding details on top. Or a glaze may be put over a wash. Similar to a wash, a glaze uses a thin transparent pigment. It could be used to adjust color and tone of the underlying wash. Multiple glazes can be used as long as each layer is allowed to dry thoroughly.

Another technique is “dropping in color.” A color is introduced to a wet region of a painting and allowed to bleed and feather without being touched by the artist. The results are unpredictable, but interesting.

Watercolor can be dissolved and removed or “lifted off” after it has dried, although not all colors allow this technique. The way it is done is by using a brush with clean water on the area, then blotting with a tissue. Sometimes an area will be masked before this is attempted.

Watercolor Painting

2008-04-18T09:34:00.000-05:00

Watercolor painting has its own challenges. If you look at watercolor paper, you’ll see it is very thick so it can stand the amounts of water used without warping (at least warping too much).

Some painting styles require the watercolor paper to be dampened before any paint is applied. This technique is used for a “flat wash.” In this case a single pigment is spread in horizontal bands. The paper is laid on a sloping surface so that the paint will even itself out as it dries.
“Wet in wet” uses paint applied to a wet surface. This allows for easy blending of colors on the artwork, including intentional blurring.

Other times, paint is applied to dry paper. Paint may be applied with a dry brush followed up with a wet brush to give what is called Lost and Found edges (lost is soft, found is hard) or applied with a dry brush either to give sharp focused lines or the brush used at an angle so that the pits of the watercolor paper stay unpainted.

More next week.

Pastels

2008-04-10T16:47:00.001-05:00

Pastels are powdered pigment and a binder in stick form. There are soft, hard, pencil, oil and water-soluble pastels.

Soft pastels can be readily smudged and blended, which is great while working on a piece, but means they need a fixative afterwards.

Hard pastels aren’t as brilliant as soft pastels, but smudge less. Pencil pastels are great for adding fine detail. Oil pastels don’t require a fixative, but are slightly less easy to blend. Water-soluble pastels can be thinned using a water wash.

Artists on our site who use pastels include:
Ardith Starostka
Daggi Wallace
Miles Mathis

Varnish

2008-04-03T10:35:00.002-05:00

Varnish is used on top of oil or acrylic paintings, in the former case to help prevent the oils yellowing, and in both cases to a different sheen (matte or glossy) to the finished painting. Varnish on a painting that will not be under glass also protects it from damage by dirt, dust, and pollution.

Putting varnish on a painting is not something that can be rushed. The paint must be completely dry. For an oil painting that can take several to six months depending on the paint.

More on Acrylics

2008-03-27T13:59:00.000-05:00

Acrylic paints can basically go on any surface. Traditionally, wood, canvas, and masonite are used. Some artists might use illustration board or paper, however if too lightweight of paper is used it can buckle from the liquid in the paint.

Acrylic mediums can alter the appearance, hardness, flexibility, texture, and other characteristics of acrylic paint. If an artist wants texture in acrylic paintings, he adds texturing mediums which thicken the paint and allow it to dry in different ways such as crinkly surfaces, rough sandy edges, or stiff peaks.

Acrylics are useful in mixed media as when once dry, artists can use pastels, charcoal, or pen on top of the dry surface.

Acrylic paints were invented about 50 years ago, so they have not had the test of longevity that oil paints have had, but so far they seem to yellow less.

Acrylics

2008-03-20T17:04:00.003-05:00

Unlike oils, acrylic paints dry really fast. There are advantages and disadvantages to this quality. Quick drying can obviously speed up the painting process. Yet, too quick drying might make it difficult to achieve some effects, such as blending of two colors on the painting itself.

Acrylics can be thinned with water and acrylic medium. Acrylic clean up is easier – no solvents needed. There is also less odor when painting with acrylics.

More on this topic next week.

Meanwhile here are some of our artists that work in acrylics: Ursula Brenner, Cathy Kline, Gloria Coker, Ashley Dietrich, Alexandra Kruglyak, R.F. Tapnio, Christina Cena, & Yvonne Mora.

Painting techniques

2008-03-13T09:17:00.000-05:00

In an earlier entry I talked about blocking in. Of course, there are other painting techniques.

Some artists paint over a detailed drawing they’ve done. Others prefer to paint one section at a time. They might complete individual objects before moving on to another item. One might paint the background first, then add the details on top. Another artist might paint the details and add the background afterwards.

When the painting is done, can you tell how it was done? Doubtful for the untrained eye, though it depends on what type of paint was used. Since acrylics and oils have texture to the paint, if one paint is painted on top of another that obviously will be more visible.

Art basics – Color: Transparent or not?

2008-03-05T14:10:00.000-06:00

Color pigments are transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque. Opaque paint will cover up another color. Transparent barely shows on top of another color. Semi-transparent is in between. When an artist wants light an airy, they may use transparent paint. To make an object look solid more opaque paint may be used. Paint isn’t divided up so simply into these categories, but this gives you an idea of the range.

Art basics – Color: Categories and Harmonies

2008-02-27T09:45:00.001-06:00

Categories of Color

I remember in grade school learning about primary colors (red, yellow, blue), secondary colors (orange, violet, green) and complementary colors (colors opposite each other on a color wheel). I don’t remember these details however:

Intermediate colors (red orange, yellow green, blue violet, etc.) are made by mixing a primary color with a secondary color.

Complementary colors look bright next to each other, but when mixed together neutralize each other.

Analogous colors are next to each other on a color wheel, such as red, red orange, orange.
Monochromatic color is one color used in different values and intensities.

Color Harmonies

Color Harmonies is combinations of colors to create different looks or feelings.

When 3 equally spaced colors on the color wheel are used it is called a Triadic Harmony.

Warm colors give the feeling of warmth. Cool colors give the feeling of coolness or cold.

Art basics - Color

2008-02-20T09:59:00.001-06:00

Color has hue, intensity and value.

Hue is the color name, i.e. red or blue.

Intensity refers to the purity of color. Intensity is reduced by the amount of black or white mixed in – this quality of intensity is often referred to as tint or shade.

Value refers to the amount of black or white mixed into the pure color.

Color Transitions – i.e. from dark to lighter – are called blends. It’s a gradual transition from one color to another—a blending of one color to another.

Art basics - Texture and Light

2008-02-14T11:48:00.001-06:00

Texture is the surface quality of the object. In two dimensional art it is implied texture—how objects look like they would feel if you could touch them.

Textured items reflect light differently. The more texture the less reflection of light.

Light in a painting can be dramatic, mysterious, cold, hot, dappled, rainy, and can make patterns, shapes, etc. The direction of light, where the light source is coming from, influences how the shadows in picture will be formed. There are 3 categories of shadow: the shadow side of the object, the shadow cast by the object, and proximity shadows caused when objects touch or nearly touch each other.

The contrast between dark and light not only defines space and form, but it also conveys feelings and drama. Light can express good while dark can express evil.

Art basics – Space

2008-02-06T10:39:00.000-06:00

Space is the distance or area around, between, above, below or within places. It can be two dimensional or three dimensional.

In two dimensional work artists often use techniques that create the illusion of depth or distance. Some of these techniques are:

Linear perspective – distant objects are proportionally smaller than close objects

Atmospheric perspective – distant objects and spaces are less detailed and less intense

Placement of objects – distant shapes are placed higher on the picture plane and closer shapes are placed lower. Overlapping objects on the plane can also suggest space.

A few art basics

2008-01-30T10:21:00.000-06:00

There are 7 formal elements of art design: line, shape, form, space, texture, light, and color.

The two basic line types are straight and curved.

Shape is two dimensional. Shapes may be organic, geometric, symmetrical, or non-symmetrical or a combination.

Form is three dimensional. Five basic forms—the cone, cylinder, sphere, cube and torus (donut shape)—are the foundation of objects.

We’ll discuss the rest of the elements in future entries.

impasto

2008-01-23T11:10:00.000-06:00

The term, impasto, is borrowed from the Italian. It commonly refers to the oil painting technique where paint is thickly laid on the canvas. Brush strokes or painting knife strokes are often visible when this technique is used.

Impasto painting provides texture. Impasto gives the artist more control over the way light will reflect on the painting. Some say the paint is coming “out” of the canvas since it is almost a 3 dimensional sculpture.

Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers (pictured) used this technique.

Drying Oils or Mediums

2008-01-16T11:22:00.001-06:00

Drying oils or mediums are added to oil paint to modify the way the paint handles or to change the characteristics of the paint—make it glossy or matt, transparent or opaque.

Linseed oil is used to add gloss and transparency to paint, although it has a tendency to yellow. A thicker processed form of linseed oil is called “stand oil.” It’s often used for glazing. Linseed oil can also be sun-thickened or sun-bleached. These three forms yellow less.

Poppyseed oil and safflower oil are pale oils that are more transparent and less likely to yellow than linseed oil. They dry more slowly.

Walnut oil is used to make oil paint more fluid. It also yellows less than linseed oil, but is expensive.

Boiled oils are faster drying and give a glossy finish, but tend to yellow and darken with age.

Oil Painting: Solvents and Resins

2008-01-09T16:59:00.000-06:00

Solvents are used to dilute oil paints or to dissolve resins. Solvents in oil paint will evaporate totally when the oil paint dries. Common solvents are: turpentine and minerals spirits. Both must be used in a well ventilated room and are flammable so precautions should be used.

Resins are used to increase the gloss of oil paint. They can also reduce the color and add body. A common resin is Damar. Damar is also used as a varnish.

Glazes

2008-01-02T09:46:00.000-06:00

A technique some artists use is glazing. It can be done with oil, acrylic, or watercolor paints.

The basic of glazing is painting a very thin layer of paint on top of a dry painting, letting the glaze dry, then painting another layer, adding as many layers until the desired result is reached. Glazing can provide deepness, luminosity, and richness to a painting. It can be done over all of a painting or only on points of focus.

Others of our artists who do oil painting:
Penelope Moore
Jon Smith
Diana Dean

Fat over lean

2007-12-26T11:54:00.000-06:00

This is an oil painting concept that basically prescribes slower drying paints (fat) over quicker drying paints (lean). This is not about thick paint versus thin paint. Lean oil paint is paint mixed with fast-drying oil and/or turpentine. Fat oil paint comes straight out of the tube or has additional oil added. Upper layers of paint shouldn’t dry faster than lower ones. The more oil the slower, the drying time.

Following the practice of “fat over lean” reduces the risk of an oil painting cracking.

More of our oil paint artists are:

Child Portraiture – Bob Byerley
Modern Urbanscape – Peggy Nichols
Still Life and Landscape – Chuck Rosenthal

Blocking in

2007-12-19T10:36:00.000-06:00

One technique some artists use is to “block in” the colors of their painting. This can be a loose painting of the dominant colors in the areas of the canvas where those colors will be. Or it may be the background colors in each appropriate section for a painting.

Here are several examples of what it looks like:

This article and photos by Marion Boddy-Evans is broken down into steps, with steps 1 and 2 being about blocking in: “Landscape Painting: Quiver Tree Step by Step.”

And this watercolor demonstration by Roger Simpson is quite interesting.

Here are a few of our artists, who do oil painting.

Jean Miller Harding – still life paintings

Yuri Klapoukh – portraiture and landscape paintings

Renee DiNapoli – floral paintings

Underpainting the Canvas

2007-12-12T09:47:00.000-06:00

Before an artist starts the actual painting, he may underpaint or tone the canvas. Think of spreading a light color (thinned paint) over the canvas, not evenly, but just to soften the harsh whiteness of the canvas. Some artists, do a sketch or charcoal or thin paint outline of the figure they plan to paint. This may be on top of an underpainting or an artist might not use underpainting at all.

Resources

Underpainting the Canvas – a How To
"Art Glossary: Underpainting" – a definition
“Palettes and Techniques of the Old Masters: Leonardo da Vinci” – discusses how he used underpainting.

Priming a canvas

2007-12-05T09:31:00.000-06:00

Last week I talked about stretching canvases and that they are primed. It’s a lot like priming bare drywall before you paint the actual desired wall color. Priming puts down a surface that takes the final paint well. On canvas, priming can protect the cloth and make it last longer as well.

There are basically two types of priming: acrylic gessos and oil priming materials which include oil gesso, rabbit skin glue, oil painting ground. Acrylic gessoed canvas is more flexible than oil gessoed canvas. These usually result in a white surface.

Here’s an article on the subject: “How To Prime a Canvas For Acrylics or Oils”

Paint surfaces

2007-11-28T09:38:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine paints art directly on the walls in her house. She also uses canvases, paper, and clothing for more portable art. I’ve also seen art painted on about any surface you can imagine—wood, metal, seashells, rocks, ceramic, plastic, etc. Much of fine art, however, is done on a stretched canvas. But what does that term mean exactly?

A stretched canvas is usually cotton or linen fabric that is literally stretched taut over a wooden frame. The frame pieces are called stretchers. Stretcher bars can be equal lengths to create a square or two sets of different lengths to create a rectangle. Before painting is done, the canvas is primed. (I’ll discuss this another time.)

Canvases can be purchased stretched and primed or some artists stretch and prime their own. This can be cheaper, but also allows for the exact size of canvas the artist desires.

Canvases are generally used for oil painting or acrylics.

Sometimes beginning artists use less expensive canvas board, which is primed canvas stretched over stiff paperboard.

Wei Tai

2007-11-20T09:45:00.000-06:00

Traveling? Our featured artist, Wei Tai, will be participating in the Arizona Fine Art Expo, January through March of 2008. Click here for more information.

If your travels are limited to internet surfing, see more of Wei Tai’s work online, “Artist’s Magazine” shows their contest winners, plus a discussion of each painting.
The Artist's Magazine's 2000 Art Competition: Still Life
The Artist's Magazine's 2000 Art Competition: Landscape
In each category, scroll down to Wei Tai’s Honorable Mention to see the art and read about it.

And, of course, you can always go to the artist’s website directly to see more beautiful art.

Oils, not just a tube of paint

2007-11-14T10:10:00.000-06:00

I’m not an artist myself, although both of my daughters are very artistic and through the years have created beautiful works of art in a number of media. This has given me a small intro into the world of art.

So instead of sharing my very limited knowledge on oils, I thought I’d find good resources online.

Marion Boddy-Evans has some good articles on About.com.
This article is clear and concise: “Drying Oils or Mediums Used in Oil Painting.” A companion article is “Oil Painting: Solvents and Resins”

This article by Alina Bradford, “Oil Painting Tips and Terms,” is aimed at someone wanting to learn to paint, but I found it of interest in understanding some of the steps that an artist might go through in their painting.

Many of the artists we feature at the gallery, paint in oils.