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A Little Art History Roy Lichtenstein 1923-1997 As a founding member of the 1960's pop art movement, Roy Lichtenstein quickly became a major figure in American art by incorporating comic book characters and other icons of popular American culture into a quasi-parody of art. Ever original, he became instantly successful despite his intentional attempts to be an irritant in the world of art. As the concept of pop art grew in popularity, it became more difficult to define exactly what it was or was not. What remained common among these works were the hard-edged, commercial techniques and colors used to portray culturally-popular (pop), representational images. Principal among the New York artists who developed this genre were Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Tom Wasselmann, James Rosenquist, and Claes Oldenburg. Roy Lichtenstein was born in Manhattan, NYC, on October 27, 1923. The only son of a prosperous real estate dealer, he was a reserved and quiet child who often entertained himself by listening to serial radio shows such as "Flash Gordon" and "Mandrake the Magician." By 16, he started taking courses at the Art Students League while attending public high school. After graduation, he went to Ohio State University to study art, but World War II interrupted his studies when he was drafted in 1943. After serving in Europe, he returned to Ohio to earn a master's degree in art (1951) and then started teaching art locally. During this time, he continued to study art, married, and started a family. To augment his teaching salary, he arranged department store window displays and designed sheet metal forms for Republic Steel. Meanwhile, the developing abstract art movement in New York City began to capture his imagination, and he started making trips back east to attend art shows and associate with these new artists.   Through the 1950's, Lichtenstein painted and created sculptures in a variety of styles, many of them influenced by Picasso, Klee, and the current abstract expressionists. These early images involved anthropomorphic plants (i.e., with human characteristics), medieval subjects, and themes from American folklore--subjects that laid the foundation for the pop paintings of common American themes that he was soon to create. By 1957, Lichtenstein had left Cleveland with his wife and two sons to teach a variety of art classes in the New York City area, while trying to get his painting career ignited. In New York he began to meet fellow artists who would soon define the pop art movement. This influence, along with exposure to the exhibitions of Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenburg, helped steer Lichtenstein into his first pop piece titled "Look Mickey" (1961), which was his first non-expressionist painting. His first big show with his signature work was at the Leo Castelli Gallery in Manhattan in 1962. His style was an affront to abstract expressionism and, by comparison, looked flat and manufactured, as if sheets had been torn from the funny pages and the vivid colors depicted in Ben Day dots magnified to an absurd scale. Still, Lichtenstein had taken an everyday, anonymous format and made it into something that was his alone. His works of the early 1960's made him instantly famous and successful. But some regarded him otherwise; Life magazine published an article that raised the rhetorical question: Is this the worst artist in America? Regardless, Lichtenstein became renowned for using popular images and presenting them with ironic twists while stressing arrangements of form and color. Classic among these is his cartoon rendering of "Secret Hearts," in which an attractive young woman is drowning while thinking to herself, "I don't care! I'd rather sink than call Brad for help!" In an age where commercial art was despised among artists, Lichtenstein introduced his unique version of anti-art that he himself thought would be so deplorable that none would dare hang it. He was proven wrong, as his art was very well-received, and pop art was launched into the big time. Roy Lichtenstein's works may at first have appeared trapped within a limited format; but as he kept exploring, he continued to discover new range and diversity. His works became unmistakably American as he progressed--pop icons were used to (arguably) portray the events that were occurring in his own life. For example, he painted the images of attractive young women in distress ("Drowning Girl" and "Frightened Girl") as his marriage was breaking up in the mid-1960's. Particularly poignant is his canvas "In the Car," which illustrates a strained and chilly silence between a young couple in a car. By the late 1960's, pop art had faded and Lichtenstein stopped using comic book characters as source material, focusing instead on works that were reminiscent of Picasso, C‚zanne, and Mondrian. True to his style, he treated these works much the same as Andy Warhol handled the images of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley--as brand names of popular culture. During the same time he painted landscapes, interiors, and nudes. He also worked with sculpture and prints and created giant murals such as the five-story-tall "Mural with Blue Brush Strokes" that is currently displayed in the lobby of the Equitable Center in Manhattan. Roy Lichtenstein didn't cultivate his celebrity like some of his pop art contemporaries did. Instead, he continued to explore and work on projects that he found appealing. He didn't take his art or himself too seriously, but continued to work right up to the time of his death on September 29, 1997. Roy Lichtenstein's legacy remains significant, as his unique contributions are still enjoyed throughout the world.   Kids' Korner Holiday Shopping Guide Following are some new products to consider for the budding young artists on your holiday gift list: --The new KIDS Holiday Gift Set from Strathmore Kids is an ideal gift for little artists. Included are a paint pad, watercolor postcards and Yarka paints/brush. KIDS Make Your Own Greeting Cards also include envelopes and a project idea booklet with instructions for fun greeting card designs. Perfect for the child who likes to work big is the new KIDS Easel Pad, which fits many of the permanent style easel stands currently on the market. --EDC Publishing has several new items for kids. Usborne Hotshots are pocket-sized books to collect and are filled with information and things to do. The new Drawing People teaches children to use many different styles, using a variety of painting and drawing materials. New to the Usborne Playtime Series for 3-6 year olds is I Can Crayon by Ray Gibson. With very clear step-by-step picture instructions, young children will achieve delightful results while helping to develop motor skills essential for learning to write. The How to Make Series now includes Paper Engineering and Origami, with step-by-step illustrated instructions for fun and unusual ideas for things to make and do to encourage creativity. --Claytoon Modeling Clay from VanAken offers endless creative and educational possibilities and is available in four-color sets and in 18 single-color bars. The Pro-Tool Activity Set includes a brightly colored non-stick modeling mat, Bendy Bones, clay knife and an acrylic clay roller (which doubles as a handy storage case). --For 1-3 year olds, Crayola Kid's First Jumbo Crayons are easier for smaller hands to hold and designed to wash from most walls, surfaces and clothing. For ages 5 and up, the Crayola Treasure Boxes kit comes with three white board boxes, glitter paint, glitter glue and 50 colorful rhinestones. For ages 7 and up, the new Crayola Premium Watercolor Paints come in 8- and 16-count assortments that provide vibrant, long lasting and high performance non-washable colors. The lid acts as a mixing tray and includes a high quality natural hair paint brush. --Many classic art-related toys (with company, age and price) are included in Dr. Toy's Best Classic Products for 1997 at http://www.drtoy.com; or call (510) 540-0111. Watercolor Watercolor Brushes When working in watercolor, the brushes you use are vital tools that should be selected with care. Some prefer to work with the best brushes available, while others are content to use brushes that are made with lower-quality fibers. Which is best depends upon your application and budget, but note that in some cases, both types are suitable. Above all, it is important that you understand the types available, the range of sizes, and their intended uses. Watercolor brushes are constructed from a variety of fibers that mostly determine the cost of the brush. Sable and other natural-hair brushes tend to be the most expensive. Other types of hair come from squirrel, goat, camel, ox, and hog, etc. On the other end of the bristle spectrum are the synthetic and natural-synthetic fibers. All possess their own strengths and offer unique qualities. Most quality watercolor brushes are constructed by taking select brush fibers and securely binding them onto an attractive wooden handle with a stain-proof metal ferrule. A well-constructed brush should feel comfortable in the hand and have a certain degree of balance. Sable brush hairs come from a variety of animals in the weasel and mink family. Among these bristles, Kolinsky hair is the finest and most expensive due to its thick and highly resilient texture. Red sable bristles are thinner and less resilient (but also less expensive) and are commonly used to manufacture lower-priced sable brushes, such as blunt rounds or oval flats. All sable brushes have excellent water-retention qualities and spring well when wet. The best squirrel hair for watercolor brushes comes from the tails of Russian squirrels, while lesser-quality fibers are obtained from Canadian squirrels. This type of hair is quite soft, retains water well, and holds a point when wet but does not spring as well as sable. Best uses for this type of hair are typically flat and oval wash brushes. Goat hair has a cylindrical shape that offers little tip potential and poor water retention; and, as such, it offers little capacity to define detailed shapes or line. The best application for this type of hair is a mop brush used to lay down large area washes. Ox hair is often blended with other fibers to lend water retention and flexibility. Its weakness is that it does not maintain a good point. Sabeline, which is also used in blends, is a fine grade of ox hair that is often dyed to resemble red sable bristles. This type of hair is effective for blunt round and flat wash brushes. A well-constructed sabeline brush can be an effective and less expensive substitute for a sable hair brush. Synthetic materials, such as nylon and acrylic, are commonly used to manufacture round and flat watercolor brushes. These types of brushes are inexpensive but tend to fray, soften quickly, and have inferior tip retention. However, they do retain water while maintaining a hard edge, which makes them suitable for flat washes and wet-on-wet techniques. Brushes constructed from a blend of natural and synthetic fibers have more spring and retain their edges better than all-synthetic brushes. These types of watercolor brushes tend to have a better appearance and are suitable for a range of applications. Watercolor brushes typically have shorter handles than their oil and acrylic counterparts and are manufactured in a range of shapes and sizes (for specific tasks). A basic assortment of rounds, flats, ovals, and larger wash brushes should be all that is required to paint anything from a small study to a large studio work.   Round brushes produce a variety of strokes from thin lines (using the tip) to medium washes (using the edge of the brush). These types of brushes generally range in size from 00 (the smallest) to 16 (the largest), and each has a long, fine tip that tapers to a large swell for maximum water retention. Blunt rounds are formed with shorter hairs that culminate in a blunt tip. These types of brushes cannot produce the fine lines of a regular round but are instead effective for laying in washes and working wet-on-wet. Flat brushes have long, soft hairs that form a square-tipped edge that is suitable for producing crisp, hard-edged strokes. These can hold large amounts of pigment and are effective for creating broad, sweeping strokes and background washes. They are also good for blending gradients of color. Normal brush sizes range from 1/4" to 3" wide. For large-scale works, a wider hake (pronounce hay-kay) brush should be used. This brush is typically made from goat or sheep hair that is attached to a flat wooden handle. A bright brush is a variation of a flat brush that is distinguished by its shorter, springier hairs. This brush is effective for pushing watercolor pigment around in flat strokes, but the shorter hair length makes it unsuitable for washes. Oval and filbert brushes are flat with a rounded tip that is good for producing blunt, soft-edged strokes. These types of brushes can hold a fair amount of pigment and are also suitable for small washes of color. For larger washes, an oval mop can be used to apply copious amounts of loose, wet paint. To best understand the differences and dynamics of each type of watercolor brush, you should try the various types and determine the results for yourself. By properly using the right watercolor brush for the correct application, you allow yourself easier and more effective visual expression. Your retailer will be happy to help you make a selection that corresponds to both your application and your budget. Holiday Gift Guide 'Tis the season to start thinking about gifts for those fine, decorative, or graphic artists on your list. From the following suggestions, you may also see something you'd like to request from jolly old St. Nick for yourself. --The brand new Lighttracer by Artograph is an all-purpose art and craft light box which features a 10" x 12" conveniently slanted tracing surface. This is the fast and easy way to transfer designs and patterns for embossing, quilting, stained glass, calligraphy and lettering, and stenciling; and it's also ideal for student art projects. --Airbrush-By-Numbers from Aztek is a new and easy way to learn basic airbrush techniques. Developed by airbrush artist and educator Ray Shlemon, this is a perfect teaching tool where beginners learn to operate an airbrush, use a mask knife to cut frisket film, shading technique and color theory. You have a choice of three complete starter sets, and each contains an Aztek Airbrush, propellant, acrylic colors, design film, mask knife, airbrush cleaner, artboard, and instructional video. Students may then advance to the next level with a choice of eight open stock Design Films. --The Color Wheel Company has introduced the new Watercolor Wheel, designed by watercolorist David Pyle. It shows 144 combinations of the most common watercolors as an aid in selecting and mixing and provides visual examples of graduated washes. Stocking stuffer: The new "Pocket Size" Artists Color Wheel. --Make a Start in Art sets from Daler Rowney offer a great way for would-be artists to start painting. Available in either System 3 Acrylic or Georgian Watercolor, these attractively packaged instructional kits include two outline images (drawn for you by two acclaimed teachers/writers) six high quality colors, brush and palette. A great gift for beginners! Also check out the new high quality System 3 acrylic sets: Starter Set (6 tubes), Introduction Set (10 tubes), and Selection Set (8 tubes). --Fletcher-Terry's new hand-held bevel mat cutter, the MatMate 101, is the newest bright star in their complete line of matting and framing equipment. This is a great start-up mat cutter for the artist, architectural student, crafter and designer, and offers features that make it easy and economical to use. Ergonomically designed for left- or right-hand cutting, the versatile 101 not only cuts perfectly beveled windows, but also doubles as a mat carving tool and may be used to size down backing materials and bevel-cut foam board for special presentations. Stocking stuffers: The PullMate, PushMate, and SpringMate for removing points, inserting points, and inserting/removing spring clips, respectively; and the Wire Winder makes neat work of stringing and finishing most picture hanging wires and includes three sizes. --The new Creative Edge artist canvas from Fredrix would surely be a welcome gift to any painter. This medium texture 100% cotton duck canvas contains two coats of acid-free acrylic titanium priming and has a clean, staple-free edge so you can paint on all four sides to hang without a picture frame. Available in Gallery Style with heavy duty stretcher or Traditional Style with standard stretcher and in a wide range of popular sizes. You'll love the eye-catching color labels featuring an assortment of fine art by the masters. --Just in time for the holidays is brand new four-color packaging for Gagne's line of Porta-Trace 1012 Series of lightboxes and Light Pods. The brand new Light Pod fills the need for a high quality, low cost lightbox suitable for all typical applications--memory books, needlepoint, embossing, calligraphy, stained glass and more. Two models are available to meet your requirements. --General Pencil Company's #30 Draw Now Kit is the first to teach basic drawing and sketching in both charcoal and graphite. Included are three degrees of General's smooth artist charcoals, two Kimberly graphite pencils, 1 black layout pencil, a 60lb. artist drawing paper pad, sharpener, General's All Art white vinyl eraser, and a 24-page drawing lesson book. With the range of techniques covered, this kit is ideal for aspiring and advanced artists alike. Also look for the Kimberly #25 Graphite Drawing Kit, which features 10 of the most popular degrees of #525 Extra Smooth Graphite Drawing Pencils in a handy classic reusable tray, as well as sharpener and eraser. And there's new packaging on General's #10 and #20 classic Drawing Kits. --Graphic Chemical & Ink has available in kit form a variety of printmaking supplies for both the individual and the classroom. Classroom kits provide sufficient supplies for a minimum of 12 students and include blocks or plates (depending upon the medium), inks, papers, textbooks, tools and more to create high quality prints. Size-specific kits can be easily customized for individual artists. Kits are available in Relief Printing, Etching and Basic Mezzotint, Deluxe Mezzotint and Lithography (aluminum plate or stone lithography). See your dealer for further information. --Jacquard Products' boxed gift sampler set of Pearl-Ex Mica Pigments has endless applications for use by fine artists, interior decorators, and crafters. Ideal for interior, exterior and archival applications, they can be incorporated into any viscous medium or spread dry on any porous surface. The Jacquard Silk Painting Kit contains all supplies needed to paint two pure silk scarves, included; and Silk SunSations contains everything needed to paint, mount and display two finished "Silk Sun-Sations" that resemble stained glass. You'll also want to check out Jacquard's wood easels, which range from an Adjustable Table Easel to the Heavy Deluxe Easel. --Medea/Artool has just announced availability of several new freehand airbrush templates. With a recent resurgence in pin-up art of the Vargas period, the new Pin-Up Shield by artist Edward Reed will be a welcome addition to any artist's bag of tricks for creating anatomical curves. The new Angle Master will help the artist conquer any project requiring multiple angles, while the popular breaking-wave beach scene can now be done easily by T-shirt painters with the Wave Maker by Mark Rush. And look for the Essential Seven Pack, which includes all "original" French curve shapes in a reusable and convenient storage pouch (also available in a solvent-proof model). --And, if money is no object when buying for the artist who has everything, we suggest Grove's Dictionaries new The Dictionary of Art edited by Jane Shoaf Turner. Thirty-four volumes contain 32,600 pages along with 15,000 illustrations. Included are forty-one thousand articles by 6,700 contributors from 120 countries. Price: $8,800. Collage Photographic Collage The art of pasting objects and images to a surface has been practiced internationally for centuries. To label this process, a formal name of "collage" was eventually derived from the French term "papiers colles," or glued papers. Collage is noticeable in the early cubist works of Braque and Picasso when they worked with pasted papers. Since then, this art form has evolved into applied materials of all kinds, often with mixed media. Any type of paint, writing material, or image that can be applied and held to a surface is fair game when working with collage. Among the materials that can be applied, photographic images are perhaps the most versatile and offer the greatest range of color, content, and composition. Among the pioneers using photos in collage was the singular female member of the Berlin Dada group, Hannah Hoech. In the early part of the Twentieth Century, she virtually founded photomontage, which consisted of using mass-produced images that she arranged to reflect the world as she experienced it. With this form of art, emphasis is usually more on representing abstract relationships by juxtaposing carefully selected images. You need only observe the many graphic illustrations and images in daily life to find ideas and subject matter. Collage can be used to eloquently illustrate ideas that are often difficult to capture and express. Photographic collage subjects that can be incorporated into artwork can be found in common sources such as newspapers, magazines, color printouts, and illustrated books as well as photographs. If original images cannot be used for an actual photocollage project, high-quality color copies can now be inexpensively made. Another benefit to photo replication is that images may be scaled (reduced or enlarged) to a specific size necessary for a composition. Since photocollage can be textural and layered, care must be given to the type of support material that acts as a base. Illustration board is often the best solution when light paper and photographic images are used. But, since the glue and paint will often tend to buckle this type of board, it should first be pinned down (or taped with masking tape) to a firm drawing board until it has dried thoroughly.   To build a photocollage, most artists usually start by gathering the source images that will be used to create the composite image. Once assembled, the images are first roughly cut to size and then laid out on a flat surface to assess size, color, proportion, and general compositional layout. As the photographic images are seen altogether and then shifted about, ideas concerning their layout and association become more apparent. At this point, the images can be further trimmed and matched to other adjacent compositional images. As the arrangements become finalized and you like what you see, you can then go ahead and start gluing the images down. Many types of wood or paper glue will work well with photocollage. When applying glue to paper photo images, take the piece you want to work with and place it face-down on a piece of cardboard. Then spread the glue with a brush or finger until coated evenly to all edges. Then turn the glued paper over and carefully place it on the collage surface. Next, lay a piece of clean wrapping (or wax) paper over the area and firmly press the photo image down while spreading the glue evenly. Blot up any excess glue with a damp cloth. Photo images may also be affixed to paper board by dry mounting. This process is good for a non-wrinkled surface. Before any large-scale work begins, small samples should be tested to review the effectiveness of a glue bond, degree of wrinkling, and any adverse interaction between adhesive and the photo emulsion of an image surface. Later, a matte finish of varnish can be added for extra stiffness and surface protection. For added interest, you might try using more diverse and exciting elements to enhance your photocollage. Various colored papers, plastic pieces, or found objects can be introduced to make visual statements of all kinds. For some pieces, plastic parts from different hobby models (e.g., cars, airplanes, ships) can be incorporated into the photocollage landscape to create a very detailed, three-dimensional topography. Later, these elements can be painted or enhanced as desired. Photocollage techniques can also be used very effectively to enhance photographic images. For example, if you take a photographic image of a running person and cut it into thin horizontal strips and then shift each adjoining strip alternately left and right, an exaggerated effect of motion appears. Or take photographic images of two different faces (same approximate size) and cut in strips as described above. Then reassemble an image by using a different face for each alternate strip. You may want to develop a theme piece (with items of similar nature); or maybe dissimilar arrangements will portray an idea best. Those who are good with cameras can locate and capture their own images to use in collage. As always, explore; let your imagination guide your selections and materials. By definition, collage is a process of stimulating the imagination through an association of unique images, either similar or contrasting. As such, for an artist, it is an invaluable exercise in which to practice and create. Since this medium is so diverse and accessible, photocollage offers endless expression for those motivated to explore it. ArtPourri Holiday Celebrated--Special viewings of sculptor Daniel Chester French's home and studio (Stockbridge, MA) decorated on the theme "Christmas Around the World" will be held Nov. 8-11 and 15-16. Included in this 21st annual holiday event will be displays, demonstrations, refreshments and gifts available for purchase. Admission. Call (413) 298-3579. Artist Remembered--Recently 400 friends and admirers of Willem de Kooning attended a memorial service in the sculpture garden of the Museum of Modern Art, Manhattan. De Kooning died in March at the age of 92. A 28" x 20" abstract work on paper by the artist titled "Woman" is scheduled for auction at Christies and is expected to fetch $800,000. Chair Resigns/Report Released--After a four-year tenure, Jane Alexander has resigned as the chairwoman of the National Endowment for the Arts in order to return to her acting career. The NEA has released "American Canvas, an Arts Legacy for Our Communities," a 193-page report on the state of the arts in the U.S. It is based on academic studies and the results of meetings with artists, business people, educators, etc., in six cities. For more info, see the NEA's web site at http://arts.endow.gov. Medals Awarded--The White House has announced this year's winners of the National Medal of Arts. Among the honorees chosen by the President for significant contributions in their fields are sculptor Louise Bourgeois; Agnes Gund, President of the Museum of Modern Art; Daniel Urban Kiley, a landscape architect; and The MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, NH. Frescoes Damaged--Recent earthquakes in Italy have damaged the 13C. frescoes on the walls and ceiling of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Rome. The Basilica is reportedly where Italian painting was born and contains the most important and extensive early Renaissance decorative cycles in Italy outside the Sistine Chapel.   .com ...the link between you, the visual artist, and the manufacturer of art materials. Established 1990 SIGN UP - FREE ARTtalk e-Newsletter© Search all of ARTtalk!! • ARTtalk's Manufacturer Art Materials/Product Info. Center • Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 8 No. 1 -- November 1997