Watercolor Potpourri

There are hundreds of secrets and special tips that watercolor artists have developed over their painting careers, some of which are widely documented and some not. Following are several miscellaneous tips and ideas for everything from recovering dried pigments to magic water formulas, from camouflaging a stain on your painting to sealing procedures for paper that is too absorbent, and more.

The wonder fluid, gum arabic, can be used to recondition dried pans of watercolor by simply mixing it with the pan color. If you do not have gum arabic, use a drop of honey or glycerin. After allowing this to soak into the pan, the color will be soft and ready to use. These three items can also be used with tube color that has set up. Add gum arabic to water to make it less fluid and easier to blend with pigments. In works consisting of small individual strokes, gum arabic helps each stroke remain separate rather than flowing together.

To speed drying time, use a hair dryer on slightly damp works. Areas where there is fluid color should be avoided, as the dryer will blow and spread the color into areas undesired. Small additions of common rubbing alcohol can also speed drying time. Ages ago and prior to the invention of hair dryers, gin was added to paint to speed drying. Both alcohol and gin dry faster than water. Some small works can be dried in a slightly warm oven (very low temperature). Ceiling fans that drift large masses of air over surfaces can aid in speed-drying larger works.

If you want to slow the drying time, try a bit of liquid ox gall. This can be done in one of three ways: you can prime the surface of your paper before painting (Let it dry before you start your painting.); you can mix a bit of ox gall into your water container; or you can mix ox gall directly into the paint on your palette. One added benefit is that the ox gall adds brilliance to watercolors. Thorough soaking of paper is a sure method to slow the drying time as well. To keep the paper moist throughout the entire painting process, place a cloth soaked in water beneath it. To prevent pillowing, stretch the paper over the cloth and tape into place along the edges.

Speaking of water, always have at least four containers of it near your work. At any time, one will be available and clean so that you can mix colors cleanly, clean brushes in another, and rinse in the others.

Color testing is always a good idea, rather than charging onto the surface of a painting with an untried color. Test on a small sample of the same surface on which you are working. Make notes and file the samples--great future reference material.

Mixing quantities of paint for large works can be done in lidded containers rather than on your palette. This means less remixing time. Colors can be used for future projects, so waste is less an issue than efficiency.

Papers are varied and offer many surface qualities. But, occasionally, bends, folds and accidental creases occur. This damage can happen before the painting is done or after it is completed. To remove it, press lightly from the back side with an iron. Be sure to use a clean paper under the painting while pressing.

Flatten buckled paper with weight. Allow the painting to dry completely and then place it between blotting papers with weight evenly distributed over it. Often it is possible to stretch the paper after the work is finished. Do this by carefully dampening the back side of the paper, then gently stretching.

Create soft glazes over completed, dry works by spritzing the surface with diluted paint in a plant sprayer. This will dry to a soft, cloud-like appearance. Some experimentation is needed to get the right mix of water and surface absorbency.

Use blotting paper (available at art supply centers and used in printmaking) for immediate removal of excess fluid paint. Stains left can be removed with additional water and, if the wash has dried, wet the area with clean water and use blotter paper to soak up the dissolved paint. Small wet sponges can be used to pick up paint as well. For fine detail work, cotton swabs and tightly wound paper towels can be used to draw off paint.

Stains that remain after all efforts to remove a painted area can be painted over with white acrylic and then smoothed with a cotton swab to soften surface texture. New paint can then be applied. "Teasing" the edges with a clean, damp brush can soften hard edges of painted areas. Papers roughened by repeated scrubbing may be too absorbent. Remedy this by applying a thin layer of acrylic paint. This paint can be tinted, plain white or any color that will complement the work. For handmade papers and other super-absorbent surfaces, a thin wash of acrylic will help create a more workable ground.

In closing, if you stare at a new, clean white sheet of watercolor paper and panic, or perhaps, you enjoy a warm, light brown ground to start on, consider tinting the surface. Either situation can be remedied by washing the surface with diluted coffee. In China, artists use tea leaves to produce a soft glow on their paper. Western tea drinkers might want to try a softened soaked tea bag.

New Edition

To address new information and possibilities in the industry today, noted ceramist, teacher and author Robin Hopper has updated Daniel Rhodes' seminal book on the fundamentals of ceramic technology, Clay and Glazes for the Potter. Used as a reference in the ceramics field for the past two generations, this expanded edition contains new sections devoted to health hazards and computer software programs that aid in glaze and body development. Also included are contemporary formulas, more color information, detailed illustrations and charts that offer easy access to information valuable to today's potter, and 250 color images. 352pp. Krause Publications.

In the Spotlight: Speedball Art Products

Speedball Art Products recently celebrated its third year as a stand-alone business. Speedball pens and cutters continue the long tradition of being made by hand by dedicated associates who take great care and pride in their work. The production and development of lettering, artist's, and mapping pens have continued through the years so that today there are more Speedball pens sold and used than any other lettering pens in the world. Today's line includes the Speedball flexible steel brush, available in four sizes and used by artists, crafters, and schools.

Speedball proudly manufactures:

• Speedball linoleum products, which are used primarily in block printing.
• Elegant Writer disposable calligraphy markers.
• Panache calligraphy fountain pens, ink cartridges, papers, and kits.
• Lettershop Calligraphy project kits.
• Block printing inks, brayers, lino cutters and handles, books, and teaching units--open stock components, presses, and kits.
• Screen printing kits, open stock components and books.
• New Hue Based Acrylic paints which are cadmium and cobalt-free.
• Pigmented Acrylic Inks and Super Black Ink.
• Brayers for stamping, printmaking, memory albums and home décor.

As Speedball Art Products continues to expand its product selections and move in related directions, it continues the tradition of quality and dedication to each and every product. See your retailer for this fine line.

Graphic Chemical & Ink Co. Printmaking, etching, blockprinting litho supplies. Silkscreen Trade Names: Perfection, Easy Wipe, Graphic, Sureset, Universal, Graphinx.

Valentine's Day Fun

Want to create a unique and wonderful gift for St. Valentine's Day? How about making a special T-shirt with heart motifs? Below are two ideas for creating designer looks with simple materials. One is a new spin on the old favorite, tie dying. The second is a neat color removal technique. Both are easy and give great results. (Parents must supervise both techniques!)

Supplies you will need for either method are: an all-cotton T-shirt, needle and strong thread, and one stick of pastel colored chalk.

With chalk, begin by drawing hearts of varying sizes on the front, back and sleeves of a T-shirt. Start at the top of the shirt, around the shoulder areas. Using a needle threaded with strong thread, create a running stitch along one of the heart motifs. Gather up the running stitch and pull tightly to bind the material. Tie off with a knot and repeat until all your heart shapes are gathered.

Tie-Dyed Project:

Choose a white shirt and a package of permanent red fabric dye. (See your art supply retailer for Jacquard or Deka brand dyes.) Traditional tie-dye is knotted or twisted tightly so that the die only partially penetrates the fabric. The result is a contrast of light and dark--light remaining where the fabric is bound tightly and dark where the dye penetrates the cloth. Our technique is a form of fabric decoration originated in Japan, where stitch and gather techniques have been used for centuries for detailed patterns.

Dip the shirt into the dye and leave for the recommended time. Remove, rinse and set the dye, as suggested by the manufacturer. Wring excess water from the shirt and dry in the dryer without removing the gathering.

After the shirt is dry, carefully snip the thread and remove the running stitch. Rewash the shirt and dry in the dryer.

It is now ready to wear.

Discharge Dye Project:

This method definitely requires parental supervision/assistance and extreme caution is necessary! You will need a red, all cotton T-shirt, chlorine bleach, rubber gloves, a large kettle and the use of a stovetop.

Fill the kettle with at least two gallons of water. Very CAREFULLY add one to three pints of chlorine bleach. DO NOT SPLASH THE BLEACH. Use of bleach can cause damage to the fabric, so use only the amount necessary to do the job. Heat until warm but NOT boiling. Carefully set the prepared (as above) red T-shirt into the discharge bath. The color will almost immediately begin to fade. The longer you leave it in, the lighter it gets.

Either project yields an original, impossible to recreate item that will be a favorite item for any recipient.

Ten Best Books

The New York Times has announced the Book Review's choices of the 10 best-illustrated children's books of 2000. Selected were the following by author/illustrator: Henry Hikes to Fitchburg, D.B. Johnson (Houghton Mifflin); Night Garden: Poems From the World of Dreams, Janet S. Wong/Julie Paschkis (Margaret K. McElderry); Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth, Anne Rockwell/Gregory Christie (Knopf); A Day, A Dog, Gabrielle Vincent (Front Street); Mammalabilia: Poems and Paintings, Douglas Florian (Harcourt); One Lighthouse, One Moon, Anita Lobel (Greenwillow); Market Day, Lois Ehlert (Harcourt); I Walk at Night, Lois Duncan/Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher (Viking); Rain, Manya Stojic (Crown); and Buttons, Brock Cole (Farrar, Straus & Giroux).

Inaugural Exhibition

The inaugural LACMALab exhibition at the Boone Children's Gallery is Made in California: NOW through September 9, 2001. Kids and adults alike can see and make art, look for treasures under a green wave, make a sand sculpture, follow the yellow boots on big adventures and more. Located at LACMA West (Los Angeles), this exhibit is a component of Made in California: Art, Image, and Identity, 1900-2000, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art through February 25.

Part 3: Protoliterate Period to The Assyrian Empire

The Protoliterate period occupies a brief 500-year span on the calendar of what might be called urbanization of civilization. From 3500 BC to 3000 BC, largely due to the altering climate and the increased knowledge of growing and herding animals along with improved agricultural methods, there was a major shift from wandering/gathering to more permanent community/village development. This resulted in more expanded art opportunities, more elevated methods of art creation, and a heightened awareness of the meanings of these items.

By this time, more sophisticated refinement of materials allowed the artist to create items with natural colors. Minerals and natural pigments were used with brushes. Many of these were applied to backgrounds that were applied for this specific purpose, such as white plaster. As if to prove the short-term importance of the event pictured, often the art was covered over with more plaster, and another scene painted over the first. Prior to this period, art was not "ornamental"--it was a ritual of survival.

It was during this period that writing was developed, the earliest examples of which were used to keep accounts and make descriptions of simple transactions, stores, and supplies. But a written language began a reliable record of history.

By the 22nd and 21st Centuries BC, a period called Neo-Sumerian was known for its architecture and building methods. Structures were explored that pushed to new heights, with massive stairways, bases of fifty feet and higher, pedestals and multiple levels. In Egypt the pyramids at Giza were constructed.

At this same time, sculpture work took a distinctive turn as well. Human forms began to be more lifelike with proportions, features and costumes detailed in a more realistic way. Gone were the more crude and featureless forms. Human figures were depicted with individual digits clearly distinguishable and with eyes and hair that were well defined. Around 1700 BC and slightly beyond, most sculptures had enlarged eyes (considered the "window of the soul"). Vision was felt to be part of the intellectual and spiritual traits of humans. Cylindrical forms also began to emerge.

Formalism, the creation of sculptural forms that were captured in greater than natural perfection, also began to surface about this time. Although centuries later the Greeks would use this type of idealization regularly, this appears to be the beginning of stylized form. A union of formal and natural, where natural surroundings and rigid human forms are combined in looks that mimic play-acting, began to appear.

Near 1000 BC, architecture again leaped forward with the advent of not only multi-level dwellings, but groupings of structures within compounds where large groups of individuals lived and performed daily tasks. These collections of structures were often grand and included art placed with purpose, e.g., archways, glazed tiles, and beginning evidence of relief sculpture. Friezes became popular, allowing artists to depict sectional scenes and visual narratives. Although considered somewhat rigid, due in large part to the lack of rounded form, these scenes accurately report a variety of events and activities.

The last segment of this period, classified as the Assyrian Empire, was revolutionary, considering its short 300 years of existence. There were refinements in the execution and application of relief sculpture. This was a period in which the kings of Assyria often had their power depicted in nonhuman forms. They wished their greatness, that of hunting and war, to be shown in exact terms. Historians have learned most of the history of the Assyrians through these relief carvings and the writing that accompanies them. Indeed, most of the history of the entire Assyrian Empire exists because of the relief work, as little sculpture in the round exists. The artists of this time used continuous flat surfaces of stone, onto which they carved a continuous narrative, scenes broken only by the edges of the fitted blocks. And, although there is a formality to the forms, the depictions are true to the activities and events of the period.

In summary, starting in 3500 BC, we see art beginning to emerge as less a record of ritual and spiritual need and begin to take on the realistic elements of form and design. Greater sophistication of artists' materials and techniques makes art that for the first time is considered short-term and art that is often covered over for new art to take its place.

Drawing Contest

Strathmore Artist Papers is sponsoring a Charcoal & Pastel Drawing Contest where original artwork must be created on Strathmore Charcoal Paper. Entries will be judged on creativity, style, expression and use of technique and must be submitted in the form of 35mm slides. You may enter as many times as you like, but only one slide per entry is permitted. And there is no entry fee! Slide submissions will not be returned, and entries must be identified as to the type of medium used. Finalists will be required to submit actual artwork. Submission of entry constitutes agreement that Strathmore can reproduce artwork for promotional use. Full credit will be given to the submitter.

A nationally renowned panel of artists will judge the contest. First place winner will receive $1,500; second place--$750; third place--$250; and there will be ten Honorable Mentions.

All entries must include: 35mm slide of artwork; artist's name, address, telephone number, medium used, and title of piece. Entries should be mailed to: Charcoal & Pastel Drawing Contest, Strathmore Artist Papers, 39 South Broad Street, Westfield, MA 01085, and they must be postmarked by March 1, 2001.

Arts for the Parks

The National Park Academy of the Arts in cooperation with the National Park Foundation first created the Arts for the Parks Competition in 1986. The program was designed to celebrate representational artists, enhance public awareness of the National Parks, and to contribute to programs benefiting the National Park System as well as the public.

The 15th Annual Competition is open to all artists. Landscape, wildlife, and/or history represented within areas governed by the National Park Service qualify. Flora, fauna and geography must be indigenous to the park depicted (map included with entry form). Only original, 2-D art qualifies; no sculpture, photography, prints, or computer-generated artwork will be considered. Accepted media includes oil, watercolor, scratch board, acrylic, gouache, alkyd, tempera, mixed media, pastel, pencil, pen and ink, and batik. Awards will be given for landscape, marine, wildlife, bird, historical, and other categories. The top 100 selected by the jury will be published in a catalog and exhibited in a year-long multi-city tour. All entries must be postmarked by June 1. Call 800/553-2787; or go to www.artsfortheparks.com.

Twig Picture Frames

Making this unique type of frame is a great weekend project. The end results are unlike any other frames, although they begin as simple ready-made wooden frames. Twig frames make very personal statements with which to decorate your home or to give as special gifts. Great with western art or country style images, twig frames also look great on many portraits, contemporary landscapes, snapshots and more.

The supplies required are easily collected. You will need a frame; a collection of miscellaneous twigs, sticks, and tiny limbs; clippers to trim the twigs; and adhesive for attachment. Optional is a spray of clear varnish or acrylic over the completed project. This helps to even out any irregularities in the sheen on the twigs and to protect them from dust and debris.

About the frame: Choosing a frame with a flat face and no scoops or ornamentation will make the attachment of the twigs/sticks much easier. Any frame of any color can be used. If you affix the twigs with some of the frame color showing, you may want to choose a specific color. Or you can change the color by simply painting it and allowing it to dry prior to starting the attachment.

The twigs you choose can be any type. Willow is a traditional material used for twig art for the home. It has a natural sheen that is very striking, and the color of the stems varies from a rich red-brown to a soft green. These colors will stay true for a long time, especially if they are coated with a spray finish after the attachment is complete. Other twigs can be used, too. Rose twigs make a very dynamic statement. (Be careful with the thorns. Light sanding of the barbs might be in order.) Twigs with moss and lichen make a really neat addition to any frame. Twigs don't have to be the same type over the entire frame; in fact, a collection of varied twigs can add interest.

Your choice of adhesive should be any clear-drying glue that is suitable for bonding wood to wood. After the attachment of twigs, allow the glue to dry at least 48 hours before spraying a protective coating.

Actual creation of the frame is easy. Simply snip the twigs to a length slightly wider than the face of the frame. Allow overlap on all edges. In most cases you will be able to piece the twigs together to hide the supporting frame, ending with a frame that appears to be all twigs. Use ample glue without excess.

This is a real hands-on project that is so much fun, you will want to make several. Enjoy!

Acetate Airbrush Stencils

Many artists use stencils to capture various effects when developing a painting with an airbrush. Acetate is one of the best materials to use in making stencils for airbrush technique. It is transparent, so a line drawing is clearly visible underneath for cutting stencils; there is little chance of cutting the surface of the artwork; it lies flat without curling; it is available in gloss or matte surfaces; and, unlike frisket film, it is reusable.

Acetate is available in both sheets and rolls, and airbrush artists prefer a thickness of 5 mil. This is important because the thicker the stencil material (9 or 20 mil), the more blockage of spray exists. With thinner materials (1 or 2 mil), there is more likelihood of the material fluttering from air pressure, which allows paint to seep underneath.

Gloss acetate is water clear, so the artist can see every bit of his or her reference drawing. Matte acetate (wet media) is not quite as clear as gloss, but because of its tooth, paint dries on it without beading up (as it does with gloss).

To cut stencils from acetate, simply score the surface with a stencil knife, bend the acetate, and the cut piece will pop out with a clean and exacting edge. This is unique to acetate; you cannot do this with other plastic sheets such as Mylar. So the likelihood is small that you will cut into the surface of your artwork when using acetate as a stencil material.

Acetate can be used in both non-adhesive and adhesive techniques. Without adhesive, this stencil can be moved around the work surface and function as a shield. Be cautious of paint buildup so you don't drag undesired paint onto other parts of the artwork. When you require a fixed stencil, the acetate can be sprayed with a repositionable spray adhesive. This will allow you to hold it in place while you airbrush other areas and then remove it without damage. Since 5 mil acetate holds its shape, the stencils can be used time and time again.

Another way acetate stencils can be held in place is by gravity. Simply work flat on a table and set small objects such as washers, sinkers, nuts and bolts (any flat metal objects) around the perimeter. Or work on a metal surface and use magnets to hold the stencil in place. (There are specially made flat magnetic strips available in art and drafting supply stores for this purpose.)

As you can see, acetate can be used as a stencil material for numerous applications. For the fine artist working on canvas or the illustrator working on board, 5 mil matte acetate is usually the preferred stencil material.

Biopic to Open--"Pollock," the biographical film about abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock, will open nationwide in February. Ed Harris makes his directorial debut and also stars in the film, described in a New York Times review as "admirable."

Restoration/Museum Planned--A foundation intends to raise $2.7 million to restore the Westcott House in Springfield, Ohio. Built in 1904, it was among Frank Lloyd Wright's early works and included 12 rooms. The site was sculpted to create a platform upon which to put the house, which will be restored as closely as possible to its original state and opened to the public.

Gifts Given--Renowned photographer Richard Avedon has given the Metropolitan Museum of Art 115 of his portraits, including that of Willem de Kooning. These will form the core of "Avedon's Portraits," an exhibition that is scheduled to open in the fall of 2002.

Auction Results--Phillips recently sold 95 percent of its offerings at a recent sale of contemporary art. Andy Warhol's "Flowers" received the high bid of $1.8 million. Christie's first auction of postwar art saw six records set when 46 of 54 works offered for sale were sold. At Christie's contemporary art sale, 53 of 62 works found buyers, and Charles Ray's sculpture, "Male Mannequin," received the highest bid of $2.2 million. And Sotheby's auction of contemporary art sold 50 of 62 lots and brought 11 record prices.

Acquisitions Made--The Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, N.Y., has acquired two new works for its permanent collection: a landscape by Asher B. Durand and a view of the Hudson near Peekskill by Frank Anderson. The museum's collection also includes works by Hudson River School painters Cropsey, Brevoort, and others.

2001 Events

The International Bead Expo 2001/Miami will be held May 23-27 at the Miami Convention Center. Featured are The International Bead Bazaar; workshops; The Symposium: Beads, Culture, & Costumes; What's New in Bead Research; and Bead Knowledgebase Session. Info: 800-732-6881; or register on-line at www.beadexpo.com.

Memories Expo, the Scrapbook & Stamping Show, will sponsor five shows in 2001: Los Angeles, March 2-3; Chicago, April 6-7; Philadelphia, May 4-5; Denver, September 28-29; and Orlando, November 2-3. Info: 888-878-8728, Ext. 3141.

The Society of Craft Designers (SCD) will hold its annual educational seminar September 5-8 at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix in Arizona. The SCD is an international, nonprofit organization serving designers in the consumer craft industry. Info: 740-452-4541.

The Art Methods & Materials Show will be held October 12-14, with classes beginning on the 11th. Sponsored by American Artist magazine, this popular event includes myriad workshop offerings by renowned artists/instructors as well as a trade show featuring the latest in art materials. Info: 646-654-5600.

Exhibitions:

National Gallery of Art Washington, D.C. "Art Nouveau, 1890-1914" is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever presented on this innovative and exuberant style of modern art and includes more than 350 masterpieces in painting, sculpture, graphics, glass, ceramics, textiles, furniture, jewelry and architecture. Through Jan. 28.

Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, CO "De Kooning in Context: Abstract Expressionism from Area Collections" places de Kooning's work in the larger context of post-War American art and includes examples by nearly all of the major "first generation" Abstract Expressionists. "Willem de Kooning: In Process" features the later work of the artist and focuses on the wide variety of processes that he employed. Through Feb. 4.

First USA Riverfront Arts Center, Wilmington, DE "Faberge" is the largest and most stunning Faberge exhibition ever, and this world premiere presentation includes over 1,000 masterpieces from more than 30 of the world's most prestigious private collections and museums. See a brief intro at www.faberge-exhibition.com. Through Feb. 18.

Smithsonian American Art Museum-Renwick Gallery, Washington, D.C. "Star-Spangled Presidents: Portraits by Liza Lou." The artist uses beads to create a likeness of each of the 42 American presidents that resembles historic B/W photos. Also included are ceremonial objects that suggest the trappings of the office. Through Feb. 19.

January Birthdays:
  1     Bartolome Esteban Murillo
         Paul Revere
  5     Yves Tanguy
28     Jackson Pollock
29     Barnett Newman

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2001!

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 11 No. 3 -- January 2001