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Significant Donation Reported – The Miami
Art Museum has reported that local business leader Jorge M. Pérez has increased his contribution to
the new Museum Park facility to $35 million, including a gift of contemporary Latin American art
valued at $15 million. In recognition of Mr. Pérez's generosity and commitment, the board voted to
change the name of the museum to the Jorge M. Pérez Art Museum of Miami-Dade County. |
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Setting Up an Acrylic Studio
Establishing an art studio to work
in acrylic is a great opportunity to explore many products available to artists
by contemporary manufacturers. The fast-drying characteristic of acrylic makes
it the ideal medium for artists who enjoy heavy textural work, those who enjoy
using a variety of substrates, collage artists, those who like to include a
variety of materials in their paintings or anyone interested in easily blended
colors, soap and water cleanup, no fumes and ease of transport of materials and
finished works.
Basic supplies that are needed to
work in acrylic include some sort of canvas or heavy watercolor paper, paints,
brushes, charcoal or pencil for sketching, painting medium and various
containers for water. Sponges, an easel (either tabletop or standing) and a work
stool and table are also very handy items.
The surface upon which you work can
be canvas--stretched or panels--or heavy-bodied watercolor paper. Canvas is
considered by most acrylic artists to be the preferred substrate; but works on
paper offer the opportunity to mat and frame under glass, while canvas works are
most often put into a frame without added embellishment. Although acrylic can be
used on almost any surface--including wood, metal, and some plastics--canvas or
paper are the favorites of most artists. Sized canvas is ready to go and can be
painted upon without pre-surfacing. Paper is often coated with a smooth layer of
gesso to create a surface that is less absorbent and a bit easier to control.
Paper also wicks water and makes the soft paints harder to manipulate.
Lightweight papers can be used for studies or quick sketches but are not well
suited to heavy applications of acrylic pigment.
The paints you might select can be
anywhere from student grade to professional quality. Permanency and strength of
pigmentation increase with price and, when possible, it is recommended that you
select a professional grade of materials. This is especially true if your works
are for sale. Craft paints are interesting and fun, but lack the high pigment
formulation of professional paints. Most national brands of paints are created
with good qualities of pigment and permanency.
Brushes are essential to your work.
The type of brushes you select will depend on the type of work you like to
create. Impressionistic and styles that use rich applications of color can be
very well executed with bristle brushes, but these same brushes do not perform
well on most portrait or other smooth realistic styles. Synthetic brushes do
well with virtually any paints and are easy to clean. They make a great
intermediate graduation between less costly brushes and higher costing sable or
sable blends. For the best in smooth strokes, sable still rules, but the newer
blends of synthetics are very useful.
Charcoal or pencil work is usually
needed to establish the scene or design on your canvas before you begin
painting. Charcoal virtually dissolves into the paint and does not create lines
that will show through the painted surface. Pencil lines sometimes do show, but
can be an interesting element in an acrylic painting. When creating thickly
applied techniques, either works well. Both drawing instruments are great to
have so that you can make the decision as you start your painting.
Medium selection is one that will
greatly influence the finished look of your work. Because some paints dry to
different sheens, it is wise to include medium in your paint blending. The use
of mediums - either matte or gloss - will insure an even sheen on the surface of
your painting. Additionally, should you so desire, you can do a final coat of
medium after your painting is complete and dry. Sprays are easy to apply.
Brushing on coatings gives a thicker coat and will better cover uneven
shininess.
Water containers and cleanup tubs
can be collected from recycled items. Plastic ice cream cartons, topping bowls,
large butter tubs and such make great water containers because they hold a lot.
Washing paint from your brush at each color change will keep your colors clean
and clear. Use more water than you think you need. Large containers such as
plastic bus trays, mop buckets, detergent and pet food buckets make great
cleanup helpers.
These same containers also double as
storage for many of the smaller items involved in maintaining a studio. Sponges
not only help with cleanup but also can be used to create a speckled or dappled
texture when pressed into a pool of paint and gently rolled onto the surface of
your canvas. Other found objects can be used to create textures too: grasses,
crumpled newspaper, crushed foil, etc.
An easel is very helpful when the
size of your work grows, since it's very difficult to paint on a flat surface
when your work starts to enlarge. Easels for tabletop are very handy, fold into
a very small size and can accommodate up to approximately 20 x 24 inch canvases.
Standing easels, either of wood or metal, hold works all the way to four or five
feet. Some can be folded, but the most sturdy and steadfast are not portable and
do not collapse. Their strength and ability to grip large-scale works make them
indispensable. They can also hold smaller works and allow the artist to either
sit or stand.
A work table for supplies and a
stool are both very valuable. Spreading out your supplies so that you can see
all your materials is helpful. Brush caddies, paint colors, mediums, containers
and the other miscellaneous clothes and tools, etc., take up a lot of room, and
a table will help you quickly find what you want.
Setting up an acrylic studio can be
an enjoyable experience and need not be costly. Paints, brushes and canvas
represent the greatest costs, but recycling can help save.
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