A Little Art History

Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863)

As a pivotal figure in the history of nineteenth-century art, the great French painter Eugène Delacroix is credited with bridging the gap between the painterly traditions of Old Masters--like Titian, Veronese, Rubens, and Rembrandt--and the new-wave artists of the French Romantic movement. Delacroix's influence is evident by the reverence paid him by the Impressionist and Post-impressionist artists of the following generations, such as Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse, who were all profoundly influenced by his work.

One indication of Delacroix's greatness was the flood of copies that his works inspired. Just as Delacroix had observed the works of Rubens to gain insight into form and color, so did the budding artists of the time create interpretations of Delacroix's works. For example, Vincent Van Gogh admired Delacroix's vigorous colors so much that he painted copies of his works from lithographic illustrations (as did Picasso). Many artists still study Delacroix's works for the same benefits.

An all-embracing artist, Delacroix was at home with styles such as pen, watercolor, pastel, and oil. He was also skillful in lithography, a new graphic process that was in vogue with the Romantics. His illustration of a French edition of Goethe's "Faust" (a set of 17 lithographs) and Shakespeare's "Hamlet" still stand as the finest examples in that medium.

As a decorative artist, Delacroix remains perhaps the most outstanding artist in French history. He was also a skilled writer who recorded his creative concepts in his Journal (ideas and opinions that both reveal the man and his time and also had an indirect influence on French literature).

His artistic inspiration came chiefly from historical and contemporary events or from literature. A visit to Morocco in 1832 provided him with additional exotic themes. His subjects ranged from sumptuous bouquets of flowers to saints, warriors, and mythical goddesses to Arab hunting scenes with ferocious tigers. Delacroix's later works reveal a deepening spiritual intensity that had more to do with personal reflection and recollection than with the narrative that characterized his public commissions.

Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix was born on April 26, 1798, in Charenton-St-Maurice, France. In 1815 he became the pupil of the French painter Pierre-Narcisse Guerin and began a career that would produce more than 850 paintings and great numbers of drawings, murals, and other works. Originally, he was trained in the formal neoclassical style of the French painter Jacques-Louis David, but became strongly influenced by the more colorful, opulent style of such earlier masters as the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens and the Italian painter Paolo Veronese.

In 1822 Delacroix submitted his first picture, "Dante and Virgil in Hell" (oil on canvas), to an important Paris Salon exhibition. This piece employed a technique that used many unblended colors to form what, at a distance, looks like a unified whole (a style that would later be adopted by the Impressionists). His next Salon entry was in 1824 with "Massacre at Chios." With great vividness of color and strong emotion, it pictured an incident in which 20,000 Greeks were killed by Turks on the island of Chios. The French government later purchased it for 6,000 francs.

Impressed by the techniques of English painters such as John Constable, Delacroix visited England in 1825. His tours of the galleries, visits to the theater, and observations of English culture made a lasting impression upon him.

Between 1827 and 1832, Delacroix seemed to produce one masterpiece after another. He again used historical themes in "The Battle of Nancy" and "The Battle of Poitiers." The poetry of Lord Byron inspired a painting for the 1827 Salon, "Death of Sardanapalus."

The French revolution of 1830 inspired the famous "Liberty Guiding the People," which was the last of Delacroix's paintings that truly embodied the romantic ideal. He discovered new inspiration on a trip to Morocco in 1832. The ancient, proud, and exotic culture moved him to write, "I am quite overwhelmed by what I have seen."

In 1833 Delacroix painted a group of murals for the king's chamber at the Palais Bourbon. Once again, he had bridged the centuries by reviving a dying art form back into popular favor. He continued doing this type of painting, including panels for the Louvre and for the Museum of History at Versailles, until 1861. These murals would often take many years to complete, and much of the architectural painting involved long hours on uncomfortable scaffolding in drafty buildings.

Delacroix also painted enormous murals in famous churches, such as the Chapel of the Holy Angles in Saint-Sulpice. Interpreting religious scenes from the Old Testament, these murals culminated his lifelong exploration of themes of encounter and violence. These works still remain some of the most glorious in French art.

As a result of his extensive mural work, Delacroix's health started to decline. Toward the end of his life, he cut himself off from social pursuits and instead concentrated solely on his work. He died on Aug. 13, 1863, in Paris, and his apartment was later made into a museum in his memory.

Eugène Delacroix cannot be identified as either strictly classicist or Romantic, as his brilliance goes beyond schools and labels. Now, for the first time in more than 30 years, Delacroix's passionate and dramatic genius is on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. "Delacroix, The Late Work" may be seen through January 3, 1999. Hotel packages are available. For info, call (215) 763-8100; www.philamuseum.org.

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Holiday Gift Guide

Following are some gift ideas for the fast-approaching holiday season. More to follow next month!

--The new Model 90 T-Square Cutter from Alto's is a simple, easy-to-use tool that cuts 32" x 40" sheets of matboard or foam board down to any size you want. Simply line up the ruler to your desired width and pull the cutter. The cutting head is very comfortable to hold for many cuts without hand fatigue. Also good for cutting mylar, all kinds of paper, cardboard, and more.

--Available from Ampersand Art Supply is a new Scratchboard Kit by Sally Maxwell. This kit comes with a 9x12 Claybord Black panel, a scratch knife, and a comprehensive guide for doing scratchboard by Sally Maxwell, an accomplished and renowned scratchboard artist. The book is a step-by-step guide to creating an entire finished piece of a country scene. Perfect as a gift or for any artist that wants to learn scratchboard techniques!

--To take the mystery out of learning to airbrush, see Aztek's new Airbrush By Numbers Complete Starter Sets. Choose from three complete sets: Snow Cap Mountain, Prancing Horse, or Triclopz. Each set contains an Aztek Airbrush, two designs, two Crescent illustration boards, acrylic colors, mask knife, 4 oz. airbrush cleaner and an instructional video--everything needed to get started!

--A great gift for an airbrush artist is The Essential Seven from Artool, a set of seven freehand airbrush templates packaged in a convenient carrying pouch. Available in both Original Model (with a special textured surface to attract and hold water-based airbrush spray onto the shield to prevent it from blotting onto artwork) or Solvent Proof (which can be cleaned with solvents without being damaged), these may also be purchased individually (think stocking stuffers).

--Among "Tools for Fun" for kids is the Crayola Giant Chest of Crayons. Kids can stash all 120 different crayon colors (including 12 brand new ones) in their own go-anywhere, color-any time storage chest. Sharpener included. Also see the Crayola Discover Tin which holds 24 specially named crayons and is available for a limited time only. The collector's card included contains lots of fun facts and activity ideas plus a Discovery surprise!

--Why not capture a memory for a great gift for someone special? Turn precious keepsakes into framed memory heirlooms. Crescent Moorman Fabric Matboards bring timeless sophistication and archival protection to treasured keepsakes. Classic linens, elegant moires, lustrous leathers and rich suedes create the perfect setting.

--Ideal for the beginning painter are Daler-Rowney's Make A Start in Art Sets. Available in either Acrylic or Watercolour, each set includes six colors, brush, two printed painting outlines and instruction sheet.

Artists, designers, or photographers will appreciate an Artcase from Daler. Ranging in sizes from 8-1/2x11 to 24x36, the cases contain a multi-ring binder capacity of between 15 and 25 sleeves. Five clear sleeves are included with each leather-look zip case with convenient handle. Start the new year off with a professional look!

--A great gift for both beginning and advanced artists is General Pencil Company's #30 Learn to Draw Now Kit. This value-packed kit teaches basic drawing and sketching in both charcoal and graphite. Included are 6 pencils along with a 24-page drawing lesson book, drawing pad, blending stump, pencil sharpener and eraser. The lesson book teaches the basics that professionals use as well as step-by-step drawing lessons for finishing a still life, animal, human figure and landscape drawing--and a quick cartooning lesson, too. A great gift idea for ages 8 to adult!

And for stocking stuffers? No coal, please, just General's large new Charcoal Chunk and Graphite Chunk for artists who are not afraid of getting their hands dirty. They'll love these for sketching, large human figure drawing, and bold strokes.

--An innovative new product from Jacquard is the Inkjet Kits. This series of three kits utilizes a patented method using a home inkjet printer to print photos, drawings, or text on specially treated silk fabric, just as you would on paper. And then you can make it into wearable, washable art. Available are the Scarf/Banner Kit, the Tie Kit, and the Appliqué Kit. For a holiday present, consider either giving a kit or completing one yourself and giving the finished piece.

Also new from Jacquard is the Velvet Scarf Kit, where you dye a 9 x 54 velvet scarf and then perform the exciting technique of discharging a pattern in the scarf with Jacquard's discharge paste (also included).

--See participating retailers for a special offer on Logan's #201 3-Step Oval and Circle Mat Cutter. It's easy to set up and use, is fast and portable, with no tools required--adjust with just the turn of a knob. A stepping mechanism eliminates bumps and fraying, and the blade depth is adjustable to cut hundreds of different sizes and styles.

For a stocking stuffer, see Logan's new Basic Guide to Mat Decoration (#240), written by renowned author and demonstrator Vivian C. Kistler, CPF. Sixty-four pages of decorative instruction cover many tips and ideas for decorating mats. Projects include rub-on transfer designs, painting bevels, stencil design, color panels, woven ribbon mats, shadow boxes, memory album covers, and more.

--MagEyes Magnifier is head-mounted with an optical quality acrylic lens and a visor that swings out of the way when not in use. The slip-on cushioned headband fits all sizes, and greater power is available by simply slipping out the 2-1/2X lens and replacing it with a 4X lens. This is a practical gift for artists or artisans who do engravings, make jewelry, paint miniatures, restore paintings, quilt, or practice any art or craft where close precision work is done.

--The Artist Gift Pack from Strathmore Artists Products makes a great present for anyone interested in sketching and drawing. Included are a drawing pad, hardcover sketch book, and the "Sketchmate"--a charcoal and graphite drawing kit from General Pencil.

Holiday gifts for young artists include the Kids Series Easel Pad with Stand--with a corrugated stand that makes it easy for kids to sketch and draw; the Kids Create Your Own Holiday Greetings combo pack that includes a FREE snowman stencil; and the Kids Holiday Gift Pack (for messy little painters) that contains a fingerpaint pad, paint pad, Make Your Own Postcards, and a FREE Kids disposable apron.

--Books make wonderful, lasting gifts, and the Fine Art Series from Watson-Guptill Publications in association with the National Gallery of London is no exception. Anyone can enjoy a broad spectrum of great Western art and literature with the four titles in this series: People in Art, Costume in Art, Places in Art, and Heaven in Art. Drawn from the magnificent art collection of the National Gallery (from van Dyck to Ingres to Caravaggio and more) and enhanced by the classic prose and verse of many of history's most famous literary figures (from Mann to Bronte to Yeats and more), each book is a treasure trove of art that features 200 full-color illustrations. A great gift, either individually or as a set. 144pp, Paper.

Holiday Wrap-Up

Unique Ways to Wrap Gifts

The holidays are upon us once again, and it's time not only to select gifts, but to wrap them as well. For many, this last step in the gift-giving process is the most dreaded--but it doesn't have to be. If you approach gift wrapping as a way to add artistic and unique appeal, you might even end up loving the process rather than loathing it (and everyone will envy the recipient). A few such wrapping ideas follow.

Start with a paper that can be found in any grocery: freezer paper. One side is an absorbent, lightweight white paper that's ideal for quick watercolor washes or work with chalk, pastel or crayon. The other is coated with a very thin layer of clear plastic that yields a wonderful crackle paper.

Begin by first crushing the paper well. Release the crush and re-crush. Repeat at least two more times. This repetitive crushing creates tiny breaks in the plastic surface. Unroll the paper, smooth out onto a protected work surface and paint any aqua media on the soft paper side. (Watercolor works very well, as does thinned acrylic.) Cover the paper side completely. Use random color patterns and apply the paint quickly. Allow to rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Blot any excess fluid paint. The paint weeps through the tiny cracks in the plastic surface, creating a wonderful mingled coloration of web-like crackle patterns. With care, this paper may be ironed on the paper side with a household iron. Experimentation will help you control the amount of pattern.

For a jewel-toned translucent look, try some of the new clear, gel-type water-based paints. They come from the tube in a thick, jelly-like consistency and are good for creating textured brush work on any heavy-bodied paper. Paint one color at a time, allowing each to dry. If you work wet-on-wet, you will get mingled tones that seem destined to look muddy. But allowing each color to dry gives you the illusion of glaze layers. Shimmery and elegant - and so easy!

Brown kraft paper is a remarkably strong material. It can withstand several decorative techniques and makes a good base for a variety of paint applications.

One idea for kraft paper is to use a regular household sponge to wipe on a base color. Starting with a dark tone will give unusual depth to the finished gift wrap. Charge the sponge with acrylic paint in a medium to deep tone. Rub the color over the entire surface. Allow to dry, then add additional layers of color. These colors may be added by using a dry brush technique, sponging, wadded computer paper or newspaper, speckling or airbrush. A rich metallic color over a jewel-tone base is very elegant, but any two coordinating colors may be used.

Another use for kraft paper is more of a vessel-building technique where you can create small paper "baskets" or "bowls" to use as gift containers. Start by tearing paper into strips about 2" by 6" to 8". Dip in a mixture of 50% water - 50% white glue. (Elmer's is good.) Lay the strips over a form that has first been covered with plastic wrap. Elevate the form (e.g., use a small plastic bowl, a small glass ramekin, or a rubber ball) so that the edges of the paper can crinkle without being bent or misshapen. Allow to dry and then paint with acrylic paints. Add stickers, glitter, stamp designs--your choice.

Unusual packaging can be created using crepe paper for wide ribbon. Bunched into loops, crepe paper can make large, lovely bows. The color and stretch-and-hold quality crepe paper make it a joy to work with and very elegant as a finished product. Large sheets of crepe paper make great wrappers for odd shapes, since they can be stretched to conform to nearly any item.

To really set your packages off, use interference colors as a topical decoration, even on commercial papers. The shimmer and shine of these colors will dress any package in a winter-like frost that looks fabulous under the Christmas tree in the glow of twinkling lights.

Maybe now the thought of wrapping will seem more like a creative experience than a chore!

Oils

The Importance of Oils

The oils used in oil paint serve two purposes. First, the paints are made by grinding pigments together with oil, which acts as an adhesive that attaches the pigment to the support and keeps the particles in suspension. Second, oils are used as a medium to modify paints, either by themselves or mixed with turpentine or resin.

When used as a medium for painting, oils perform several important functions:

1. Executive--Allows the colors to be applied and spread out.
2. Binding--Locks the pigment particles into a film, protecting them from the environment and physical damage and from being disturbed by additional applications of paint.
3. Adhesive--Dries and acts as an adhesive, attaching the colors to the support.
4. Optical--Brings out the depth and tone of the pigment, resulting in a different quality from its dry state.

Oils are classified as either drying or semi-drying. Linseed oil is a drying oil and the most widely used. It has been utilized by painters since the 15th Century for both grinding pigments and as a paint medium.

Safflower, sunflower, and poppy oils are all semi-drying. Because they are paler and have less of a tendency to yellow, they are often used for grinding white pigments. Semi-drying oils are often used to slow down the fast drying times of some pigments and can be used either by themselves or mixed with a drying oil. When using them, care should be taken to make sure that they are completely dry before applying the next paint layer.

The type of processing that oils undergo determines their characteristics and how they interact with paint. Stand oil is made by heating oil without contact with air. This causes a molecular change--polymerization--that gives the oil a syrupy quality. Stand linseed oil is particularly useful in painting mediums. Thinned with turpentine or mineral spirits, it increases the flow properties of oil paint. The resulting paint film will resist yellowing, be tough and elastic, and retain its flexibility as it ages. Because it is slow to dry, stand linseed oil is often combined with damar varnish and a solvent to promote drying.

Sometimes metallic driers--such as lead, manganese or cobalt--are added to hasten drying. This is called "drying linseed oil" and is good to speed drying in the early stages of a painting (and it dries darker than plain linseed oil).

Sun-bleached and sun-thickened oils are processed by mixing oil with an equal amount of water, followed by exposure to sunlight in loosely covered, flat trays. Sunlight temporarily bleaches plant colorings, but the color of the oil deepens when it dries and hardens. The mixture is left outside for a number of weeks until the desired thickness is reached; then it is filtered and the water removed.

Sun-bleached and sun-thickened oils undergo polymerization upon contact with air, so they dry faster than stand oils. They are low viscosity and may be thickened with stand oils or thinned with solvents, as desired.

Sun-thickened linseed oil has been a standard material of painters for centuries. It produces a strong, elastic paint film. Sun-bleached poppy oil is a yellowing-resistant oil which dries more slowly than sun-bleached linseed oil. It is highly recommended for use with whites and pale colors in the final layers of an oil painting.

Art Marketplace

New Web Site Launched

Liquitex has announced the redesign of their Web site--www.liquitex.com. The new design offers professional artists, students and decorative painters a comprehensive Internet artist destination with volumes of information on Liquitex acrylic paints, mediums and varnishes; acrylic techniques and applications; acrylic terms and retailer locations; as well as a detailed color chart. Artists can also learn more about the Liquitex Lecture Series and artist grants and awards including the new "Artist of the Month" and "Tip of the Month" programs, so make it a point to visit.

New Synthetic Oil Colors Available

American Art Clay Co., Inc., recently acquired Genesis Artist Colors™. The new line of Genesis Heat-Set Synthetic Oil Colors provides professional artists, educators, and students with unique advanced technology never before available. These oil paints offer all the qualities of traditional oil colors with the innovative "Dry on Demand" feature that frees artists from drying time constraints. Available in 75 colors and mediums, the paints stay wet indefinitely until heated. Genesis Artist Colors™ are odorless, AP Certified Non-Toxic, and completely safe to use. Clean-up can be accomplished easily with rubbing alcohol, glass cleaner, or soap and water.

Art educators can now safely and responsibly present this distinctive and important artistic process to students of all ages, while professional painters and illustrators will appreciate the continued responsive, non-drying quality. See your retailer.

Airbrush

Outfitting the Airbrush Artist

If you wish to purchase an airbrush for a holiday gift (or have put one on your wish list), there are some things you should know beforehand. Consider the following:

1. Age of the user--adolescent, adult, or senior citizen.
2. Degree of artistic experience--novice who has never painted or experienced painter who has never airbrushed.
3. Application--fabric painting, fine art, watercolor technique, motorcycle tanks, crafts, etc.
4. Budget--how much you can afford to spend.

To outfit a beginner, you will need an airbrush, air hose, air source, and paint appropriate to the application. There are two basic types of airbrushes on the market today: internal mix and external mix. External mix airbrushes are generally less sophisticated and less expensive than internal mix, but they are also limited in application. An airbrush needs an air source to operate, and it is this item that is usually the most expensive.

If the recipient is young and inexperienced, it's good to begin with the least expensive airbrush system available. This is a single action, either external or internal mix airbrush that is operated from a propellant can (the air source). This allows one to experience the airbrush and become familiar with its technique with a minimum amount of expenditure. If the recipient is an adult, then a dual action airbrush is recommended, and it also can be operated from a propellant can. Self-contained kits available on the market include either an internal or external mix airbrush with hose and propellant can, which is everything necessary to get started. Note that a propellant can may last for a few projects, so you will need to have extras on hand.

If the recipient is an experienced artist set in his technique but is an airbrush novice, the application should be considered. A watercolorist may use a gravity feed airbrush; an acrylic painter a bottom feed. If the artist works on a large scale, he requires an airbrush that adapts to jars; if he works small and precise, he requires an airbrush with a small gravity feed paint reservoir or color cup.

If the painter has a specific application in mind, the airbrush system should meet necessary requirements. For example, a serious T-shirt painter works at high air pressure and requires an air source to fill that need, i.e., a large and expensive compressor. On the other hand, a youth who wishes to paint T-shirts needs only a small diaphragm compressor to amaze his friends with his artwork.

A person can be outfitted to airbrush, depending on sophistication, at a cost ranging from $50 to $2,500. A fifty-dollar kit would include a small plastic, hobby-oriented airbrush with hose and propellant can, which would provide much enjoyment in spraying kids' T-shirts, ceramics, model airplanes, etc.; but it would have limited applications. At the other extreme is a 1/2 HP, piston-operated silent compressor with all the bells and whistles attached along with a high-precision custom airbrush that sprays a line the thinness of a hair. This package would be appropriate for a professional illustrator and would last a lifetime. In between is a wide range of product mix.

It's recommended that you present your retailer's airbrush department salesperson with the above four criteria to help determine the best equipment for a specific individual. Holiday stocking stuffers for the airbrush artist might include accessories such as an airbrush holder, stencil knife, airbrush cleaner, needle lube, extra jars, or frisket film and instructional books and videotapes.

ArtPourri

Season to End--The leaves are falling and old man winter is definitely on his way; and you have only until November 15 to see a special sculpture exhibition, "The Fields of David Smith," at the Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, N.Y. (914) 534-3115.

Daguerreotype Unsold--A controversial daguerreotype by Hay Wadsworth dated 1843 has failed to sell at a Christie's auction. The controversy revolves around the subject. Although it was purchased from the liquidator for the descendants of Abraham Lincoln's private secretary, many historians and artists do not believe the likeness matches that of a younger Abe.

Honors Bestowed--Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Ivey, Chair of the NEA, recently presented awards of $10,000 each to 15 master artists from 11 states at ceremonies in the White House. Among those honored with National Heritage Fellowships for their accomplishments as artists, teachers, innovators and guardians of the country's cultural heritage were Bruce Caesar, an Indian silversmith; Sophie George, a Yakama-Colville bead worker; and Nadjeschda Overgaard, a Danish Hardanger needle worker.

Sculptures Shown--Two bronze sculptures from the estate of Willem de Kooning are on view at the Doris C. Freedman Plaza at the East 60th St. entrance to Central Park and in Bryant Park, NYC. They include "Standing Figure" and "Reclining Figure," both completed in the early 80's.--And "The Sail of Columbus," a new two-story monument by Italian sculptor Gino Giannetti, has been dedicated in Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ.

Photos Donated--The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., has received a gift of 227 photos by Gordon Parks from a recent exhibit, "Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks," just concluded at the Corcoran. It travels to the Milwaukee Art Museum and ends its tour in 2003 after stops in 16 American cities.

Commission Installed--Boston's new U.S. Courthouse has opened to the public with "The Boston Panels" by Ellsworth Kelly. This is the largest wall sculpture created by the artist and includes 21 brilliantly colored aluminum panels installed as a single work throughout the building.

November Birthdays:
  1    Benvenuto Cellini
12    Auguste Rodin
14    Claude Monet
15    Georgia O'Keeffe
21    Rene Magritte
24    Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
28    William Blake

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 9 No. 1 -- November 1998