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Framing
Framing Stretched CanvasThere are many new trends in framing artworks, whether the art is on paper, panel, illustration board or canvas. For this article, we will explore some of the newest framing ideas for the presentation of artworks on canvas. Some of the suggestions are made in an effort to protect the artwork and some are strictly for visual appeal. But, taking everything into consideration, there are lots of new looks for canvas art. Years ago, artists developed a simple type of framing called strip framing. It allowed the art to be displayed in a very inexpensive way and gave the appearance of being framed. The strip frames were nothing more than strips of wood that were cut into lengths and tacked onto the edges of the stretched canvas. This simple and low-cost strip frame allowed the entire front of the painting to show. Artists loved it for the low cost and the full visibility of their work. Today there is an advanced and quite handsome frame that allows the entire canvas to be displayed with no edge loss, and it is called a float frame. Artists who like wraparound images in their work use these frames for a clean, contemporary look and total image visibility. The canvas actually sets onto a shallow box-type ledge and is attached with screws from the back of the frame. The part of the frame that is viewed from the front is set away from the edges of the frame like a tray, allowing for full frontal and edge viewing. When you choose a frame that will surround a stretched canvas, it is very wise to consider the material from which the frame is constructed. Wood is prone to ooze resin over the course of years of display in the dry environment of homes or offices. Conservationists recommend that the rabbet (the tiny ledge that holds the painting in the frame) be coated with an inert sealer so that the discoloration and acids from the wood have a barrier to hold them away from the painting. The coating can be something as simple as two to three coats of painting medium or any acid-free polymer gel. Museums and conservators have raised a very important question about the preservation of artworks on canvas. Heretofore, it has been considered poor preservation to enclose a painting under glass. However, new thoughts have arisen that voice concerns about prolonged exposure to damage from environmental contamination. It now seems that the protection offered by displaying paintings behind glass far outweighs the "suffocation" that the art might suffer. Air will still be able to get into the art through the back side of the framed package and the frontal attack by dirt and pollution will be greatly diminished. But always space the glass above the surface of the art. Do this with a liner or spacers to elevate the glass so that it does not touch any part of the painting's surface.
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When artists of centuries ago wanted to use pastels, they had to create them from the colorants, clays and minerals that were available at the time. Meticulous grinding and mixing, a truly laborious operation, was required to create the final stick of chalk-like, dry color. We are lucky today, as there are many manufacturers of high quality, economical and ready to use pastels. This material represents a very transportable, vibrant and forgiving medium that is as expressive as any other available. With the accessories, papers and equipment you can find at any art supply center, you will be ready to dive into the vivid to demure, the muted to bold, and the gently textured to velvet-smooth appearance of pastel works.
Some of the equipment used in creating pastel paintings is unique to that medium, while some of the materials bridge over several disciplines. The pastels themselves come in soft and hard sticks, full lengths and half sticks and in either boxed broad spectrum sets, color coordinated sets or individual sticks. Starting with a general color range set is a good idea. You can add other sets or pick up individual sticks as your experimentation increases and your expertise grows.
In painting, brushes are used in nearly all application techniques. With pastel work, brushes are used to soften, to blend and to feather one color into another. Brushes (usually sable, imitation sable or soft bristle) are a great aid in smoothing areas and removing excess particles from the surface. Sponge brushes (sponge head brushes - like those used in stenciling) can be used to burnish color onto paper and to vignette images by simply moving pigments with careful gradation of tone.
For hand application, pastels easily slip into a holder that keeps your fingers cleaner and helps lessen color crossover on the sticks. But when pastel sticks get discolored on the outside, do not despair. Simply drop them into a box or bowl full of white rice and gently shake the container. The slight abrasion of the rice will clean the sticks up quickly.
Careful manipulation of surface pigment is done with several different tools, and one such tool is called a stump. This is a tightly wound spiral roll of paper that comes to a point. The stump is used to smooth and blend large areas of pastel (or charcoal) and can be used to clean the surface for highlighting. Stumps come in several sizes and lengths. Chamois that are soft and pliable can be used to wet-blend areas of pastel when such blending is desired. They also act as a very effective removing device when clean, dry and lightly rubbed against the surface to be erased.
Sharp lines are possible, even if your pastels are worn to thick shapes. Simply use a sandpaper block to abrade the stick until the point is as acute as you need. The block is made of a narrow wooden paddle base with narrow strips of sandpaper attached. It can be used to sharpen any hard-to-sharpen art material: charcoal, pastel, and crayon. With care, the pastel dust you create during the sharpening can be saved and used to lay on undertones with a sponge brush before starting your pastel painting.
The creation of texture, albeit very low profile, comes automatically with pastel. There is a thin layer of texture that accompanies each stroke of color. But, if you would like to create a controlled and precise, repeatable texture, consider using texture plates. They offer a variety of textures that give instant patterns to any picture or design. Simply slide one of the plates under your pastel paper and rub a color across the page. Voila! You will find endless ways to use these textures to create new and exciting looks in your work. You might even be inspired to create a few of your own from found objects.
Pastel paintings can be created on any smooth, dry surface. Some of the best include the velvet and sanded-surface papers available through art material dealers. They have a certain degree of tooth that grabs and holds the pastel pigments. Other surfaces you might want to try are the archival textured panels that are designed for use with aqua and oil media. They offer a new experience for pastel artists and, when dampened with painting media, help create a completely new approach to pastel work. The high ridges of the textured surface will erode the color quickly and then brushwork and/or color moving rubber tools can be used to create a creamy and elegant look--very unusual.
Fixatives are a touchy subject for some pastel artists, who consider any coating a manipulation of their finished product. And the truth is that most fixatives do often alter the finish of a pastel. One way to lessen the change is to spray fixative from the back side of the paper. Allow it to soak gently through to the top layers, binding as it goes. This application method seems to create less surface change than any other.
Storage of your pastels becomes more of a challenge as you begin to collect different brands, sizes, lengths and shapes of pigment sticks. Some artists categorize their colors by family and then lay them into shallow, cotton lined shoebox lids. Others use small cups and jars to store similar colors together. However, there are several very nice storage chests made especially for pastels. These boxes contain shallow shelves with vertical dividers to keep the sticks organized and scooped depressions to hold each stick in place. Some of the storage boxes are portable enough to take into the field and some are designed for studio use.
Whether you select a starter set or a deluxe color combination, do try pastel. It is near-instant gratification when it comes to color interplay and is an exciting medium with which to experiment.
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After the short days of winter, with its less colorful landscape, it is time to think of all the neat art projects we can do to celebrate the coming of spring. It is also a great time to inventory, clean and organize our art materials so that we will be ready to get going when the time is right. There are lots of ways to store our supplies and things we could buy to do so, but it can be fun to think of new ways and to perhaps recycle some items and convert non-art materials into great organization tools.
When you look at an office storage box, you see a sturdy, open container that is not very interesting but can hold a lot of small items. If you use the box as a basis for art material storage, you will soon see that the depth will come in handy as the depository for other smaller boxes and packages, papers and pads. A can of house paint and a paint roller can easily convert the printed outside surface to a neat solid color background onto which you can add stickers, drawings or stamped images. You could create several of these large, personalized boxes for display on a shelf or stacked in a closet. They represent a near-instant solution to the clutter and disarray that can be a negative part of the creative spirit. Cleaning isn't fun, but if the containers are neat and the items are organized, it makes the ordeal a simple part of the artistic process.
Recycled tin cans represent a nearly limitless organization opportunity and are perfect for storing markers, pencils, chalk, pastels or crayons. Bits of clay or other moist items can be wrapped in plastic wrap and put into lidded plastic butter tubs, drink mix canisters or even plastic zip-top bags. Plastic drink cups make perfect water containers for water media painters and can be tossed away after use. Plastic plates can be used as disposable palettes with no cleanup. Both can be stored in the same box with the paints so that everything you need is ready to go.
For pads of paper and large sheets, there are storage ideas that might help you organize these items too. Pads of paper can be stood upright in a deep organizing basket or milk crate with the side of the pad visible. That makes it easy to select the color/quality/type of paper with a quick glance. Large, individual sheets of paper can be gently rolled and slid into old mailing tubes. The tube protects the papers from damage and soiling and can be leaned in the corner of a closet.
Clean and organize your materials and be ready for the color burst of spring and all of the neat creative opportunities it brings!
"PaintBox," the newest addition to the NGAkids Art Zone, is an easy-to-use interactive drawing and special effects tool that encourages children of all ages to create imaginative characters, make pictures to share with friends, or just have fun doodling online. It offers a variety of color and brush options, interchangeable backgrounds, and a set of warp effects that let children stretch and distort their paintings in unpredictable, funny ways. Go to www.nga.gov/kids/zone/paintbox.htm.
Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has signed a piece of landmark arts education legislation designed to provide music and art instruction for all Arkansas school children. The legislation requires 40 minutes per week of both music and art in grades 1-6 and sets standards that make Arkansas the leading state in the nation for required elementary school arts education. Bravo!
Celebrate the wonder of enduring tales through the work of 16 of today's most highly acclaimed international children's book illustrators at The Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge, MA) in "Once Upon A Time: The Picture Book Art of Creative Editions." Compiled from recent volumes produced by Creative Editions, a publishing company in Mankato, MN, the original works blend conceptual acuity with artistic virtuosity in illustrations that excite and challenge. Through June 12.
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Slip is a slurry of liquid clay that is used to create forms by pouring the liquid into plaster master molds. The plaster slowly leaches out the moisture from the liquid, forming a shell within the mold. At a desired thickness, the excess slip is poured back into the vat and the slip cast item is allowed to dry in the mold to the leather-hard stage. It is then lifted out of the mold and trimmed. It is at this stage that handles or other added features are attached. The item is allowed to dry and any final surface treatment such as sanding or smoothing of seams or joins is done.
Clays that lend themselves to slip casting are those with a fine consistency like porcelain or earthenware without heavy grog. Smoothness of the slurry is vital to insure a smooth surface and ease of trim and attachment.
Slips can be purchased for large-scale pouring or created by hydrating clean, dry scrap with water and allowing the mixture to ripen for a few hours. The smoothness needed for attachment of handles and other parts is achieved by stirring the wet, soupy clay to remove any residual lumps. Bamboo brushes make the application of slip easy, as they charge with high amounts of slip and release the slurry readily. Slip is also an excellent surface decoration for finished, trimmed leather-hard pots. Subtle to dramatic, the texture you use will show through the glaze. Dots, slashes, and zigzag lines all look dramatic and can be applied with a slip trailer bulb or bottle system or a children's ear syringe.
Jiggering machines are very useful for potters and ceramicists who deal in large volumes of repeated forms. What is a jigger? It is a machine that spins the clay. The clay is placed inside a mold shape that conforms to the outside of the shape being duplicated. A profile tool is attached to the jigger arm and is pulled down into the spinning clay. The profile tool is made to conform to the inside shape of the pot so that as it is pulled into the clay, it both pushes the clay against the mold and at the same time it cuts out the inside form. This action is similar to a potter's hands applying pressure to both sides of the wall of clay, and in mere seconds a pot is completed.
The mold and the resulting clay form are removed from the jigger and placed on a ware rack to dry. Then another lump of clay is placed in the jigger and the process is repeated. Speed, accuracy and exact duplication are the end result. The clay shape pops out of the mold a short time later and is gently scraped with a trimming tool to remove any mold marks and the trimming area is lightly sponged.
Slab rollers are a long-standing item in pottery studios. They can be of assistance to the potter whether or not he/she exclusively creates hand built pottery items. The process of creating rolled slabs is simple. Wedged clay is placed between strips of canvas and is pulled between rollers set at a specific depth or under a single roller set to a desired thickness. Sometimes it is the clay (on a base mat) that moves and sometimes it is the roller system that moves over the clay; but either way, the result is a smooth, evenly pressed strip of clay. Duplication of thickness and uniform lengths of varying widths are easy to achieve. This is a far cry from what is possible for most potters using a wooden dowel or a rolling pin.
Clay extruders are fairly simple in operation, and they consist primarily of a large tube of metal that is filled with clay. A tamper arm is thrust against the clay and pushes out a clay shape at the bottom of the metal tube. It is very similar to a large cookie press. Extruders are most valuable in the formation of hollow ware like goblet stems, tubular teapot handles and the like and are also indispensable for making yards and yards of clay ribbons from which handles can be fashioned. Discs (dies) can be created (from clay, plastic, wood or metal) to duplicate shapes of all kinds. Hollow tubes in varying sizes and shapes can be created with dies, available from most manufacturers.
Combination forms using two or more of these methods can be very interesting to create. Rather than rely on one method, using several techniques to create your work gives interest and could save you lots of time. Consider the value of a clay extruder...rather than creating tube shapes with slabs that have seams. Or consider the quality of a slip cast service plate with side handles that are extruded or hand built. Nothing could be more natural and lovely. Using a combination of techniques gives you the opportunity to do some over-the-edge designing, too. As an example, instead of extruded side handles on a plate, why not put a grip handle right in the middle of the plate? You could serve easily with one hand and have a neat conversation piece at the same time. And who says mugs must be slip cast (or thrown)? Hand built works with added decorations of clay strips, balls, flattened shapes and slip trailing are wonderfully original.
You may wish to take a class at a local art center/store or continuing education site and try slip cast creation and decoration or perhaps hand building or jiggering.
The Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN, will celebrate the completion of its building expansion with an exclusive Members' Preview Party on April 16 and a public day-long Grand Opening Celebration on April 17. The new center features new galleries, a refurbished cinema, two restaurants by Wolfgang Puck, a new shop and library, a state-of-the-art theater and more. Info: 612-375-7600.
The International Fine Art Fair 2005 will be held May 13 18 at the Seventh Regiment Armory in New York City. Now in its eleventh year, the fair includes 54 exhibitors from Europe, the Far East and the United States that bring not only a balance of paintings, sculpture and drawings, but also a wide range of periods and styles from Old to Modern Masters. An opening night gala to benefit The Frick Collection will be held May 12th. Info: 212-642-8572.
The 34th Annual Brandywine River Museum Antiques Show will be held May 28 30 at the Museum in Chadds Ford, PA. Thirty-two outstanding antique dealers from across the nation will feature English furniture, glass, metalware, ceramics, folk art, quilts, Oriental and European porcelain, rugs and other fine collectibles. All proceeds benefit the Brandywine River Museum Volunteers' Art Purchase Fund. To complement the show, the museum presents a special exhibition, Animal Sculpture in the Folk Tradition, from May 29 July 24. Info: 610-388-2700.
The 8th Annual International Exposition of Sculpture Objects & Functional Art (SOFA) will be held June 2-5 at the Seventh Regiment Armory in New York City. Fifty of the world's finest galleries and dealers will present works of art bridging the decorative and fine arts. The Opening Night Gala Preview on June 1st will benefit the Museum of Arts and Design. Info: 800-563-7632.
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Did you know you can take any ordinary sheet of paper--any size, any texture--and create a one-of-a-kind sheet that is, in itself, an art object? There are many ways to decorate papers in addition to stamps and stickers, and each will give you unique looks for gift wrap, stationery, decorative box making, bookbinding and lots of other art/craft ideas.
A fast track method is to use small paint rollers (designed for home interior painting). Simply charge the roller with paint and roll on color. This way and that - fast as flash and so neat!
Another quickie is the daubing method. Use acrylic paints--whether they are tube colors, jars or squeeze bottles--and you will be using a color that is more opaque than watercolors and less brittle than tempera. Acrylics have the ability to bend without cracking or breaking away from the surface. Once you are set up with your master sheet and your acrylic paints, all you need is to make the dauber tool. Do this by wadding up a sheet of lightweight paper such as printer paper. Experiment with different "crushes" to see which patterns you prefer.
Spread out some paint on your palette. This paint can be slightly thinned with medium or water for a softer tone, if desired. Set the dauber into the paint, lift, and then gently press it to the surface of your master sheet. Move the dauber around as you apply paint. Twist your wrist so that the pattern is random and more interesting. Finish with some small details such as metallic paint sprinkles or brushwork and you will have made a distinctive sheet for collage work or craft needs.
Another method of daubing that yields light or feathery looks is to use tulle or other lightweight, wispy fabric. Bunch the fabric into a clump and use it to randomly set color onto the master sheet.
Flogging is another favorite of paper artists. This is achieved by using long strands of some material to create a tool that will leave lines or slashes of paint on the master sheet. Some ideas for the tool include: a large bunch of pine needles, a clump of monkey grass or Liriope, thin wires, small branches or green twigs. Look around and see what you can find.
Once the flogging tool is made, charge it by laying it into a pool of slightly thinned acrylic, working the paint onto the surface of the "fingers." A medium coating is best to start. Once charged, gently slap the tool against the surface of the master sheet. This will leave long striations on the surface. Flogging is really nice for applying slightly shimmery colors over other tones.
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In airbrush technique, air is a key player. Without it, there would be no airbrushing (or any other type of spray technique). Air serves two purposes: Compressed air enables the paint to be sprayed and air is also utilized to control the type of spray desired (large or small dots, amount of overspray, etc.)
Compressed air is produced in two basic ways, and first we shall discuss the air compressor. An array of compressors, available in diaphragm and piston models, is manufactured and sold specifically for airbrushing. All are designed to propel one airbrush or more. Diaphragm compressors are usually the least expensive and are normally capable of propelling one airbrush at a time. Piston-operated compressors are available maintenance-free or oil-immersed and most will propel more than one airbrush simultaneously. Oil-immersed compressors require oil in the crankcase to prevent overheating and seizing up. Maintenance-free piston-operated compressors are just that--self-lubricating, so nothing needs to be added for smooth running.
Air that is produced by compressors must be kept clean for airbrushing, i.e., both moisture- and oil-free. All compressor hookups should have a moisture trap to collect condensation before it reaches the airbrush. Oil-immersed compressors that have oil in the crankcase should also be outfitted with an oil trap, since oil tends to work its way into the compressed air. All compressors should be outfitted with air regulators so artists can quickly and easily regulate the poundage (psi) of air delivered to the airbrush.
Another source of air supply is a tank of compressed CO2. Required here, too, is a regulator to control the amount of air and a moisture trap (but not an oil trap). CO2 tanks can be rented, they come in different sizes (20 or 50 lb.), and emit no noise. They will eventually be depleted of CO2 and require refilling.
All hookups, no matter whether on compressors or CO2 tanks, should be completed so that there are no air leaks. It is recommended that all threaded attachments be covered with a strip of PTFE pipe tape as a preventative measure.
In airbrush technique, air is also used to develop different types of spray. At 25 psi, the brush will produce a soft and delicate spray. If the air pressure is lowered to 1 or 2 psi, the spray will appear coarser and be composed of larger dots of paint. If the air pressure is extremely high, the spray will produce an abundance of overspray that will drift and land around the artwork. Although you can achieve a broader spray at a high pressure and spray more copious amounts of paint, the overspray may be a deterrent.
No matter which method you choose to operate your airbrush, a good reliable air source that gives a consistent amount of air on demand is required. Visit www.silentaire.com for the line of fine compressors from Silentaire Technology.
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Organizations Merge--Americans for the Arts and the Arts & Business Council, Inc., have announced that the two organizations will merge their operations, creating the largest-ever advocacy group for the arts in America. This will allow the new organization to increase efforts to secure increased funding for the arts from the private sector.
Newsletter Available--The free March issue of AirbrushTalk.com is now available on the Web at www.airbrushtalk.com. Articles include "With Spring Showers Come Flowers, but We Don't Have to Wait!" by Janean S. Thompson; "Good Sméagol" by Wes Hawkins; "Canvas Wrap" by A.D. Cook; "The Hyde Project" by Alex Castro; plus more. Sign up for your free subscription to this bi-monthly e-newsletter and see the newly designed home page.
Awards Announced--The Museum of Arts & Design has announced the Horizon Award 2005, the fifth annual presentation for emerging artists. In recognition of this, ten schools, which have been previously honored, will be invited. Each school is asked to submit five works in the areas of ceramics, jewelry, metal, glass, furniture, wood and/or textiles. The prize recognizes skill, innovation and the students' potential to become leaders in their fields. Awards will be presented in June.
Gates Bid Farewell--Four million visitors from the U.S. and around the world came to New York City to view Christo and Jean-Claude's long-awaited installation, "The Gates." Visitors who came to view this unique exhibition in Central Park brought unprecedented business to provide a post-holiday/mid-winter economic boom. Christo and Jean Claude's next project is "Over the River--Project for the Arkansas River" in Colorado, dates to be announced.
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Exhibitions:
New York, NY -- The Drawing Center - 3 x Abstraction: New Methods of Drawing by Hilma Klint, Emma Kunz and Agnes Martin is a major exhibition of stunning and rarely seen work by three artists who pioneered the development of modern abstraction. Klint, Kunz and Martin represent three generations of women artists who pursued nontraditional paths in visualizing thought through geometric abstraction. Through May 21.
Chicago, IL -- Museum of Contemporary Art -- Universal Experience: Art, Life, and the Tourist's Eye occupies the entire MCA building as well as its outdoor spaces. Works range from large-scale installations and sculptures to more intimate photographs and videos and focus on the phenomenon of more than 70 international visual artists whose works respond to their experience of traveling and living within various cultures. Through June 5.
Brooklyn, NY -- Brooklyn Museum of Art -- Basquiat gathers together more than 100 of Jean-Michel Basquiat's (1960-1988) finest works and demonstrates not only that he was a key figure in the 1980s, but also that his artistic accomplishments have a significance for twentieth-century art as a whole. Through June 5.
Los Angeles, CA -- THING: New Sculpture from Los Angeles includes a broad selection of works by 20 Los Angeles-based artists and addresses a wide range of sculptural practices, attempting to make sense of new materials, forms, methods and concerns of this promising generation of emerging Angeleno artists. Through June 5.
Raleigh, NC -- The Mint Museum -- Chuck Close Prints: Process and Collaboration features 115 prints by one of America's foremost artists. The exhibition will show the artist's range of invention in etching, aquatint, lithography, handmade paper, direct gravure, silkscreen and traditional Japanese images and is designed especially to highlight several series of state proofs, to provide viewers with a seldom seen view of the technical and creative process required to realize these complex images. Opens April 16 through August 7.
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ARTtalk.com Presents "Basic Airbrush Techniques Complete" "Art in the Adirondacks"
June 3 June 4-5 June 4-5 For further information on the above classes, visit www.arttalk.com/workshop/workshop.htm or call 845.831.1043 |
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The Art Institute Online is looking for graphic designers interested in learning additional skills, or in getting their bachelor's or associate's degree in graphic design. Make yourself more marketable in the graphic design industry. Click here to find out more. (http://quinst.com/clk/kittedatoukumushiigyo) |
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| • ARTtalk's Manufacturer Art Materials/Product Info. Center • |
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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 15 No. 6 -- April 2005
New Fabriano Artistico from Savoir-Faire
New Airbrush Colors from Jacquard
Artool Products Company has announced the availability of the new Artool Pin-Up Girlies Freehand Airbrush Templates designed by Deborah Mahan. Pin-Up Girlies--whether they have been the likeness of Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe or Betty Page--have historically adorned the pages of a zillion calendars, nose art on WWII aircraft and advertising signage for countless products and have been around longer than rock 'n roll! Deborah Mahan, whose custom airbrush art graces a large number of custom hot rods and motorcycles, now works alongside Craig Fraser, The Artool Skull Master, in his custom painting shop.