Working with Charcoal

Exquisite and expressive drawings and designs can be created with simple sticks of charcoal. They are inexpensive and easy to work with, readily available at any art material dealer and very transportable. You can do a charcoal drawing with light or very involved detail. There are many charcoal-related products that help you as you delve into this medium. Following are some of the possibilities.

Willow charcoal comes in stick form and is light, hard and brittle. It is powdery and easily rubbed off, so it is not as good for finished drawings as other charcoal products. Willow charcoal shines, however, when used for quick construction drawings or underlayment for other materials or methods.

Vine charcoal is a very refined, high quality charcoal that can be used for finished drawings. It offers a full range of tonal qualities, yet it is easily erased with a kneaded eraser. Artists use this type of material to create sketches, studies and finished drawings.

Compressed charcoal is available in a variety of hardness degrees. It has a dense tone that can be difficult to erase and blend but is great for rich tonal applications. It comes in stick form that is very useful for large area coverage and in pencils that can be sharpened for explicit detail.

For coverage of huge areas and toning of materials, powdered charcoal is available. This powder can be loaded into a brush and dispensed to a surface or rubbed on with fingertips or with a cloth.

If staring at a stark white canvas scares you, consider toning the surface with an application of charcoal powder. That will create a soft tone upon which you can begin your painting.

To remove unwanted charcoal, there are two well-accepted methods. One is a kneaded eraser, which has an unusual feel, almost sticky. It grips and holds charcoal powder and is one of the neatest ways to remove lines or re-establish white or light areas. Another method of charcoal removal is a scrap of chamois leather. Its soft, gripping surface will pick up lots of powder and allow a lot of surface manipulation. For overall reduction of tone, the chamois is great. For spot removal and detail alteration, the kneaded eraser is best, but both are valuable to have.

The paper upon which you do your drawing makes a big difference in the finished look of the piece. When you select a hard surface such as drawing paper or watercolor paper, the charcoal doesn't have a "tooth" to grip and will not hold very well. But a soft suede paper or handmade paper will give the soft powder something to grip and will create a more stable drawing.

Once the drawing is finished you may choose to use a finishing spray over the sheet. Almost all of these will somewhat alter the image. It seems to wash away the powder or make the drawing have less contrast. You can do one of two things to correct this. One method is to spray a fixative from the back side of the paper, saturating through to the top layer of charcoal. (This also works with pastel works.) Another method is to spray successive light coatings of fixative over the completed drawing. Some artists expect to enhance some of the dark areas after spraying and then re-coat the entire surface.

Care should be taken with the finished drawing, even if it has been fixed. Rolling the drawing is a common practice, but is very likely to cause some disturbance of the surface. Ideally, you can create a file of drawings where they can lie flat with sheets of some sort of slick paper between them. Sheets of tracing paper or drafting layout paper are ideal.

Framing charcoal drawings is simple if you can elevate a mat above the surface of the drawing. When the inevitable bumps occur, the dust that is dislodged will fall into the space between the drawing and the mat. It is unwise to use acrylic sheeting or plastic glazing material over a charcoal (or pastel) drawing. The static of the surface will draw particles and hold them, ruining the look of your work.

Because it is a simple material and easy to work with, charcoal is an ideal creative media. Try it on some of your drawing exercises and you will see why it has been popular for centuries. See your retailer and ask for General's Charcoal Pencil Set. And check out all that the General Pencil Co. has to offer at www.generalpencil.com.

St. Patrick's Day Projects

Green! Lots of green--the color of trees, the color of grass, the color of gemstones and the color adopted by the Irish in the form of the four-leafed clover as a lucky charm. Green is our theme this issue and we will be making several great "green" gifts.

The types of gift projects you want to create might include baskets of shamrock-green iced cookies, a decorative covered flower pot to give your teacher or perhaps a neat pencil container for your parent's or teacher's desk.

To make really cool cookies that are easy and "no bake," all you need is a package of store-bought sugar cookies, a can of vanilla icing, green sugar crystals and a few drops of green food coloring. Take a small amount of icing from the can and put it into a small dish. Add 3 to 5 drops of coloring and stir to mix well. Ice the cookies and add extra green sugar sprinkles. For a double treat, make sandwiches with two cookies and icing between. Spread a thin layer of icing on waxed paper and roll the edges of the cookies in the strip of icing. Roll the frosting in sugar crystals for extra fancy presentation. Yum!

Moms, aunts, teachers and friends would love to receive a neat decorated flower pot as a gift. All you need to make them is a few clean clay flower pots, floral pictures from magazines or catalogs, white glue, scissors and a small paintbrush. Seal the outside surface of the pot with white glue and let it dry. Cut or tear the pictures into pieces and use the brush to apply glue to the back side of the pictures. Smooth down well so that the entire piece of paper is attached to the pot without bubbles or wrinkles. Be especially careful of the edges--be sure that they are pressed tightly down so that they will not release. When the paper is dry, cover with another coat of white glue to seal.

Wonderful pencil, paintbrush, and small tool containers can be made very easily with colorful magazine pages and a straight-sided metal container. (A soup can or other vegetable can works very well.) The only other materials you will need are some glue and two rubber bands. Begin by cutting the magazine pages to the same height as the container you want to cover. Roll (very tightly) the pages to form tubes. The object is to create long tubes with bright varied colors and designs. Apply glue to hold the paper in tight rolls. Let the rolls dry. Glue the tubes around the container using the rubber bands to hold the tubes against the container until dry.

So have fun making lots of "green" things and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Book Characters Featured

Eight cherished characters from children's literature are featured on the "Favorite Children's Book Animals" stamp pane recently issued by the U.S. Postal Service at the Children's Storybook Museum in Findlay, OH. Two of the stamps--The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Maisy (Maisy's ABC)--have been jointly issued with the United Kingdom's Royal Mail. The sheet of 16 stamps also depicts Wild Thing (Where the Wild Things Are), Curious George (Curious George Flies A Kite), Wilbur (Charlotte's Web), Frederick, Olivia and Fox in Socks.

Collage for Kids and More for Teens

Children of all ages can explore photomontage and collage techniques online with Collage Machine II. This is a sequel to last year's popular National Gallery of Art NGAkids Art Zone interactive of the same name. Each collage maker contains three menu palettes with various colors, shapes, textures, and photographs. Users can create customized compositions by manipulating the scale, direction, layer position and transparency of the visual components or use the auto button to generate randomized compositions. Go to http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/zone.htm.

Red Studio, MoMA's (NYC) site for teens, has been re-launched with a new design and more features--an interview with the artist Shahzia Sikhander, an interactive collage activity and talk back, and online bulletin board; and additional interviews with museum curators will soon be added. Go to http://redstudio.moma.org/.

Children's Expo

The 2006 Boston Children's Expo will turn the Seaport World Trade Center into Kid City on Feb. 18 and 19. This second annual event will feature beloved characters, games, activities, entertainment and an exhibit floor where families will see the latest products and services for children from toddlers to pre-teens. Call 800-946-6411, Ext. 205 or visit www.bostonkidsexpo.com.

Scholastic Art Awards Exhibit

The Scholastic Art Awards is the most prestigious national competition and exhibition for high school art students. Conducted nationally, this competition recognizes and encourages excellence in the visual arts across the country. The Wisconsin Regional Exhibition, held at the Milwaukee Art Museum since 1976, features approximately 350 outstanding works from throughout the state in 17 different media categories by young people in grades 7-12. The works were selected from approximately 1,700 entries by 24 jurors and may be viewed through February 15. Call 414-224-3220.

Land of Make-Believe Exhibition

Visit The Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, NC, to view The Land of Make-Believe, Children's Book Illustrations from the Collection of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County. This exhibition celebrates the imaginative and accomplished works of art that have been created for the best children's literature. Works by some of the most respected and accomplished children's illustrators in the U.S. are featured, including an impressive number of Caldecott Award-winning artists and illustrations. Through Feb. 26.

State Fish-Art Competition

The Wildlife Forever State Fish-Art Contest is open to children in grades 4-12 attending public, private or home-schools in the U.S. The artwork must call attention to the official fish of the student's home state. Three winners from each state will be selected on Earth Day, April 22, with one winner per grade group (4-6th, 7-9th, 10-12th) for a total of 150 winners. Teachers please note that Wildlife Forever has developed a comprehensive, interdisciplinary lesson plan to enhance the State Fish-Art Contest. Completed portfolios must include a typed composition or theme paper not to exceed one page in length that relates specifically to the characteristics of the state fish, etc. Deadline for submission is March 31. The 8th Annual State Fish-Art Expo will be held July 29-30 at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN, with activities for the entire family. See complete details at www.statefishart.com.

Learning & Product Expo: ART!
June 2-4
(Classes begin June 1)
Marriott Inn and Conference Center
Univ. of Maryland University College
Washington, D.C.

Immerse yourself in a unique weekend experience for artists where you can visit an exhibit hall packed with art material manufacturers and choose from a program of 200 art classes in oil, acrylic, pastel, drawing, airbrush and more. Registration begins April 3. And mark your calendar for October 6-8 for the West Coast show to be held at the Hilton Burbank Airport & Convention Center in Burbank, CA. Visit www.learningproductexpo.com and watch for more cities to be added for 2006.

Scottsdale Fine Art & Chocolate Festival
February 10 - 13
Scottsdale Pavilions
Scottsdale, AZ

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Thunderbird Artists presents their 15th annual festival. Held outdoors, visitors will stroll throughout this celebration of juried fine arts and crafts in a park setting. Original works from over 150 uniquely talented artists from throughout the U.S. will feature paintings in various media, bronzes and sculptures, jewelry, photography, one-of-a-kind batiks and much more. Over 20 chocolate companies will be represented and musical entertainment from classical guitar to jazz will round out the festival. Call 480-837-5637 or visit www.thunderbirdartists.com/festivals.

The Photography Show 2006
Feb. 10-12
7th Regiment Armory
New York, NY

Sponsored by the Association of International Photography Art Dealers, this show features 83 international exhibitors. Now in its 26th year, this is the world's premier exposition of vintage and contemporary fine art photography. Call 202-986-0105 or go to www.aipad.com.

Arts Advocacy Day 2006
March 13-14
Washington, D.C.

Entering its nineteenth consecutive year, Arts Advocacy Day is the only national event designed to bring together a broad cross section of America's national cultural and civic organizations. These groups will join hundreds of grassroots advocates from across the country to underscore the importance of developing strong public policies and appropriating increased public funding for the arts. Scheduled activities include legislative training sessions and guest speakers, congressional meetings/appointments, a lecture by William Safire, Congressional Arts Breakfast, etc. Call 202-371-2830 or visit http://www.artsusa.org.

"Franklin Fever"
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia, PA

From now until summer--as Philadelphia salutes the 300th birthday of the beloved Founding Father with Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World at the National Constitution Center through April 30--visitors to the Philadelphia Museum of Art can also experience Franklin's world through the visual arts. A series of special tours and public programs offer visitors the opportunity to examine Franklin's life and legacy. From portraits to examples of the furniture and wares that would have surrounded Franklin in daily life to building a kite and architectural tours of the city, these ongoing programs for visitors of all ages combine to paint a textured picture of Franklin's time, place and Philadelphia environment. Call 215-763-8100 or go to www.philamuseum.org.

Heirloom Shadowboxing

Many home decorators and at-home framers have discovered procedures that mimic those of the professional picture framer. Many of the methods used are easier than you think and can save you money while allowing you to frame and enjoy your collection of treasures, rather than leave them in a box under the bed or in the closet.

Perhaps the most daunting items are those with some mass to them--perhaps a plate that belonged to a family member or a collectable sign, a piece of art on stone, a decorative tile or an architectural element purchased at an estate sale. All of these items can be framed if certain aspects of the presentation are taken into consideration at the onset of the project.

Three major considerations are important to remember. First is the thickness of the item. Your frame should accommodate more than the thickness of material since there will be glass and backing included in the calculations. The second consideration is the method of attachment. Some adhesives and attachment methods can cause damage to the item and should be avoided. The attachment method should be as invisible as possible so as not to distract from the finished mounting. Third, be sure you are careful to properly clean the item and background of any dust, lint or debris so that the finished presentation is not marred. If these three things can be mastered, your project will turn out perfect and you will be proud of the results.

For preservation of family history and the enjoyment of items that are important, you may want to frame one item or a collection of items to display. With proper care, no damage will occur to these and everyone will get to enjoy them for years to come. That is surely preferable to having those items boxed and stored out of sight.

Choosing a frame is the first step. There are usually selections at most art material locations that are suitable for shadowboxing of 3D items. Art supply catalogs can be another great source of frames. Look for frames that are designed to display stretched canvas for possibilities or frame kits with around an inch of acceptance space. Measure the thickness of your item and add to that measurement the thickness of the backing material (usually mat board), the substrate (usually foam board) and the glass. The backing, substrate and glass added together usually come to approximately « inch. If your item, say a pair of dress gloves your Grandmother wore, is about 3/8" thick, your frame would need to be 7/8" deep to handle the project.

Attachment of the gloves (or other fabric items) is best achieved by sewing them into place on the backing mat board. With an instrument such as a tapestry needle or a push pin, create pilot holes just under the edge of the item so that sewing is easier to complete.

For items that will not be affected by glues--such as coins, stone, tiles and the like--use liquid adhesive to hold them in place. Sometimes you may want to sew a fabric item onto a separate sheet of acid-free foam board, and then glue the board down rather than allowing glue to come in contact with the cherished keepsake.

For any given item, there are dozens of ways to present it. You are in total control of every aspect of that presentation--the color and texture of background, the mounting method, the frame choice and the glass type. You may select whatever you want and that makes the completed project even more special.

With these quick guidelines, you might be ready to tackle a very special mounting and framing project. If so, gather up a few ideas and collect your materials. You will have great fun planning and executing the completion of this project with the certain knowledge that it will remain part of your legacy forever. Get busy!

New ExtravOrganza Inkjet Fabric Sheets from Jacquard

Rupert Gibbon & Spider, manufacturer of Jacquard Products, has announced the newest addition to their line of Inkjet Fabric Sheets. ExtravOrganza is a semi-transparent silk organza fabric and comes as an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet backed with paper to easily run through a desktop inkjet printer or inkjet copier. Just print, peel and attach to artwork. How easy is that?

Scrapbookers will love the versatility of ExtravOrganza. The fabric sheets can be used to print unique text ribbons to attach or weave through pages. Photographic images can be printed and placed over patterned papers. Text can be printed and layered over photographs. The semi-transparency works beautifully for many layering techniques popular with artists today. Other great uses for ExtravOrganza are tags, cards, wearable art and quilts. The organza silk sheets come packaged five sheets to a pack. See your retailer and visit www.jacquardproducts.com.

In the Spotlight: Silentaire Technology
SilentAire Spectrum 2000 Color Changer

If you want to experience one of the greatest things to happen to airbrush artwork in decades, consider the SilentAire Spectrum 2000 Color Changer that quickly puts as many as nine colors (or 8 colors and a solvent) at your fingertips. There is no mess. You can manually change colors with a Color-Dial at your fingertips. The dial can also be used to blend adjacent colors to create various hues and tones. There is no hand mixing of paints! Water and solvent-based paints won't dry out.

The act of changing colors is very fast and easy. You simply back flush the system (with no loss of paint). Then rotate the color dial to the desired indexed color and continue painting. There is no need to change tips, needles or bottles. Cleaning of your airbrush with its color cup is not necessary.

The Color Changer does not depend on direction and allows airbrushing in a vertical position or even upside-down. Connection to your compressor and airbrush (bottom-feed or side-feed) is quick and easy with a 6mm air hose and quick connector. The Color Changer includes a pressure regulator. Achieve special effects by increasing pressure so your airbrush becomes supercharged, letting you spray, splatter and squirt different colors at will. With up to 9 colors, this is a whole new airbrush world. Speed, ease and diverse applications make it a dream come true.

Imagine the new directions to which the SilentAire Spectrum 2000 Color Changer unit might take you. All components are accepted by the FDA for applications in the field of any kind of edibles. That alone opens an entirely new horizon. Airbrushed foods are the rage in bakeries and restaurants nationwide.

The Spectrum 2000 can only be used on back sealed airbrushes. (It's a pressure system.) Consult your airbrush retailer about the compatibility of the different airbrushes. Simple transport and connection to different sources of compressed air is possible.

For artists who work shows and do demonstrations of technique, the Spectrum 2000 Color Changer system will be a boon. For artists who work in the public arena and sell as you work, you might find the Spectrum 2000 a real money maker. For the hobbyist, one of the most time-consuming and laborious aspects of airbrushing will be removed. All you have to do is attach the Spectrum 2000 with color jars filled, prime the set-up and you are good to go.

For details, visit your art materials retailer. Also, visit www.silentaire.com and read the owner's manual for more info and exciting details about the great Spectrum 2000 Color Changer system. And while you are there, check out their selection of quiet and very efficient air compressors.

Airbrushing Artist Acrylic Colors on Canvas

Why do many artists who incorporate airbrush technique in their works prefer artist acrylic colors when working on canvas? There are several reasons. For one, unlike oil paint, acrylic paint dries very quickly. This allows the artist to easily work with stencils, masks and shields when developing images. Acrylics are also easy to clean from the airbrush with the use of only soap and water. In addition, they're also lower in toxicity and waterproof when dry. And, like oil paints, they are colorfast.

Why do artists who airbrush acrylics work on canvas? Because it allows them to work much larger than any sheet of paper does. Canvas is very durable and will last for years; it's easy to transport and store (lightweight and can be rolled); and it is the traditional ground for easel painting.

Following are some tips for the artist using airbrush with acrylics on canvas:

--Acrylics from all manufacturers can be sprayed through an airbrush. But first the paint must be reduced or thinned to a fluidity that can be sprayed, e.g., ink. Acrylics are available in a variety of manufactured consistencies, from thick to fluid. Some acrylics are pre-reduced for airbrush technique, but most are not. When thinning acrylic colors, use a thinning agent comprised of 50% water and 50% gloss medium. Mix these together well in a jar and then add a few droplets of a water tension-releasing agent. Then use this mixture to thin the paints to the desired consistency.

--To achieve a discernible edge in airbrush technique, artists use a wide array of self-adhering and handheld stencils, tapes, friskets, templates, masks and shields. In some cases the gessoed canvas surface must be very smooth for proper adhesion. This is achieved by sanding the surface with very fine sandpaper to develop an eggshell-smooth finish.

--An innate characteristic of artist acrylic colors is the tendency to clog the airbrush tip, which happens because the paint dries so quickly. If you see bubbles appear in the color cup or paint jar, this is a good indication that the tip is beginning to clog and must be cleaned. You can quickly flick the dried paint off with a fingernail and continue working or, if necessary, use a small stiff paintbrush to clean the tip with airbrush or window cleaner.

--When working on a gessoed surface, remember that it is not as absorbent as paper. You must be careful when developing an opaque color to not spray paint on too quickly. Do this by spraying several light overlapping passes and allowing each to dry before application of the next. Otherwise you may blow wet paint where you don't want it.

--When an acrylic painting on canvas is completed, protect it with a coating of picture varnish. Either a mat or gloss acrylic varnish or a removable oil-based varnish can be used.

In many cases an acrylic painting is done with a combination of techniques that incorporates anything from screen printing to sponging. All techniques, including airbrushing, work well together when done in artist acrylic colors.

FREE Airbrush Newsletter

A new issue of AirbrushTalk is now available online at www.airbrushtalk.com. You'll find "Decorator Looks That Don't Cost a Mint" by Janean S. Thompson, "Classic Universal Monster Busts" by Wes Hawkins, and "The Artool Story -- Part 2" by Dave Waite. Sign up for your FREE subscription to this informative bi-monthly e-newsletter.

Airbrush Workshops

ARTtalk.com will present "Basic Airbrush Techniques" with Robert Paschal on February 11 in Beacon, NY. This six-hour hands-on workshop is for the novice, and tuition includes the use of equipment and all supplies.

Take advantage of this opportunity and reserve your seat now! For further information, visit www.arttalk.com/workshop/workshop.htm or call 845-831-1043.

Winners Announced--The Penny McCall Foundation has announced the winners of the inaugural Ordway Prize. The winner in the category of artist is Colombian artist Doris Salcedo; and the winner in the category of curator and/or arts writer is Ralph Rugoff. To be given biennially, the Ordway Prize--with awards this year totaling $230,000--recognizes individuals in mid-career who have made important contributions to the field of contemporary arts and letters. Each winner received an unrestricted monetary award of $100,000, while the four remaining finalists each received $7,500.

Historic Casts To Go on Block--On Feb. 28 Sotheby's (NY) will sell 177 lots of plaster casts consigned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art from a collection the Museum formed in the late 19th century to illustrate major monuments in the history of art. The majority reproduce important Gothic and Renaissance sculpture and architectural elements, but there are also many ancient Greek and Roman statues and reliefs. An exhibition will take place Feb. 22-24 and Feb. 27 at the storage facility in which the casts are currently located at the Met.

Milestone Reached--Edith Kiertzner Heath, one of America's pre-eminent ceramicists who led the mid-century California pottery movement with her award-winning "Heath Ceramics" tableware and architectural tiles, has died at her home in Tiburon, CA, at age 94. She is best known for her pioneering glazes and clay bodies made to her own formulations with a minimalist look, considered avant-garde at the time.

New Director Named--The Miami Art Museum, FL, has hired Terence Riley, a longtime chief curator at New York's Museum of Modern Art, to become its new director. MAM recently passed a $100 million bond issue for the creation of a new facility at Museum Park.

Sculpture Unveiled--A new sculpture greets travelers at JFK Airport's International Arrivals Hall. "Light to the Sky" is a 16-foot bronze creation by Dimitar Lukanov that was cast in the lost wax technique.

NEA News--The FY 2007 Grants for Arts Projects guidelines are now available at www.arts.gov/grants/apply/. The Grants for Arts Projects--Access to Artistic Excellence, Challenge America and Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth--are the primary funding opportunities for organizations.

Love Blooms--Available for this Valentine's Day is the new "Love: True Blue" stamp from the Postal Service. The colorful first-class non-denominated stamp depicts two birds perched on a branch sharing a devoted gaze, with the space between them forming a heart. The denominated version will be issued in March. To create this original design, illustrator Craig Frazier arranged paper cutouts into a composition. He then created a digital file of the artwork and applied shades of blue to the birds, setting them against a yellow background.

Exhibitions:

Poughkeepsie, NY -- Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College -- Presses, Pop, and Pomade: American Prints Since the Sixties presents 36 works that examine the medium's continuing importance to new artistic movements, including realism in the '70s, expressionism in the '80s, and identity politics in the '90s and early 2000s. The works spotlight an array of printmaking processes and media, including screenprint, lithography, etching, aquatint, woodcut, monotype and the artist's book--and span the influential art presses and publishers of the past 40 years, as well. Through March 19.

Washington, D.C. -- National Gallery of Art -- Cezanne in Provence is the principal international exhibition marking 2006 as the centenary of the death of Paul Cezanne. Approximately 100 of Cezanne's greatest oil paintings and watercolors demonstrate his intense, emotional engagement with the countryside of his birthplace, where he painted some of his most compelling landscapes, penetrating portraits of family members and the monumental "Bathers" from the National Gallery, London. Through May 7. Take an online collection tour at www.nga.gov/collection/gallery.

Los Angeles, CA -- Los Angeles County Museum of Art -- LACMA at 40: Gifts in Honor of the Museum's Anniversary commemorates this milestone. A celebration of the art of giving, this exhibition showcases only a fraction of the many exceptional works of art given or promised to the museum in honor of its first four decades. Opens February 24 through April 16.

Brooklyn, NY -- Brooklyn Museum -- Michelangelo of the Menagerie: Bronze Works by Antoine-Louis Barye features approximately 70 works from the Museum's holdings of bronzes and watercolors by the French artist. Dubbed the "Michelangelo of the Menagerie" by the contemporaneous art critic Theophile Gautier, Barye devoted his career to animal subjects, from sweet groupings of woodland creatures to violent encounters between predator and prey to mortal combats between the fantastic monsters of ancient myths. Call 718-638-5000.

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 16 No. 4 -- February 2006