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Artist BrushesWatercolor Brushes: Styles, Composition and ApplicationsBrush selection for any media is best accomplished by choosing those especially made for that media. Rather than spend time sifting through the entire brush rack, head for specialty sections. In the case of watercolor brushes, that presents a large group from which to choose. Shape, size and composition choices offer a brush for every need. Buy the best brush you can afford because it will perform better than a less costly brush and will keep its shape much longer. Though more costly, good quality brushes will last for years with proper care. Shape is one of the first considerations when purchasing a watercolor brush. Shapes are created to provide a tool that will apply paint in a specific manner. Flats, for instance, have bristles that are flat in shape, have sharp corners and create stripes of color with distinct edges. They are identified by the width of the brush end (e.g., ¼ inch, ½ inch, etc.) and come in both medium and long handle lengths. Round watercolor brushes have a round ferrule (metal cap that joins bristles to handle) that tightly holds the bristles in a circular shape that culminates in a perfectly pointed brush tip. Better quality brushes are renowned for holding this point and for delivering sharp detail capabilities. Rounds are easily charged with paint and allow lengthy manipulation before a recharge is needed. Sharpness and longevity of line make rounds in all sizes indispensable for all watercolor artists. Specialty brushes such as riggers (script) come in very handy for depicting linear details. They are composed of a perfectly matched group of tapered bristles held in place with a tight ferrule. After charging with paint, they drag a line of exceptional length and uniformity. Even though the rigger is not used in every work, it is indispensable for long line details and well worth adding to your brush collection. Fan brushes are made up of bristles, spread into a fan shape, held firmly by a ferrule that is also fan shaped. This construction makes them useful for painting light, wispy details such as grasses and animal fur. Because the bristles are selected for crispness and long life and because of the fact that they are not used often, these brushes last for years. Just clean and store them well and they will last virtually forever. Fan brushes come in a wide selection of sizes and bristle compositions.
It is best to have a brush collection that contains both natural and synthetic bristles. They each offer wide application opportunities. Mixed sable and red sable are considered the pinnacle of quality, although there are some synthetics that give sable a run for its money. One of the most endearing qualities of sable is its crisp, snappy response when painting. A high quality sable brush will work all day and still maintain a great shape and firm response. It charges with paint easily and fully and delivers bold strokes. Synthetics perform similarly to sable but do not last as long. They are a bit easier to clean, however. Experiment with different shapes and sizes of brushes to discover what will help you achieve perfect effects for your style of painting. Also remember that handling and storage, along with cleaning, preserve the life of your brushes. Always store your brushes dry, preferably not standing with brush tips up (which lets water run into the ferrule where the handle and bristles are joined with glue). When transporting brushes, roll them in a towel or cloth, with the tips cushioned against damage. When purchasing brushes for watercolor, use them only for watercolor. Other media leave residue that might affect your results. When selecting paints, tube colors are preferable because pan colors can abrade the bristles of your brushes. Try handles of different lengths until you find the right one for your style. It’s interesting to note that your own hands can cause problems with paper quality and brush life. Any dirt or oil on your hands could form a “resist” on clean watercolor paper and might damage bristles in your brushes. So wash up before painting and after, too; pigments and oxides are unhealthy to ingest. To recap, there are lots of choices for the watercolor artist. Select the best brushes you can afford; then take care of them and you will experience years of pleasurable painting. See your retailer and visit www.fmbrush.com to view an extensive selection of artist brushes from FM Brush Co. Also ask your retailer for General Pencil’s The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver, a total brush care product, and visit www.generalpencil.com.
The Artist’s Marketplace
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Like it or not, the new school year is upon us again. With that time comes plenty of opportunities to make new friends and have fun. It is also a great time to start groups and clubs, and it might be fun to start an art club. There are many different projects you could do as a group that are more fun than doing them alone.
Take a look in your back yard and see if there are any wooden furniture pieces that might need a coat of paint—perhaps an Adirondack chair, a small bench or even a picnic table—all are candidates for becoming art furniture! Colors and patterns applied to wooden furniture not only give it new life, but also create a piece of useable art. Wooden slats in chairs and tables can each be painted a bright crayon color or perhaps painted shades of your favorite blue, red, or purple. Contrasting colors work very well together on yard art and really draw attention when guests come to visit. Poll your friends and see what they think of a group “paint-in.”
Group gardening is always fun. Ask permission to “adopt” a flower bed at school and see if there might be funds to purchase some bright flowers in your school colors. Get together with your friends and lay out a pattern that is cool and plant a school color bed. Around the flag pole is a great place and one that everyone will notice. Just imagine the impact a few flowers might make and you and your pals will have done it on your own.
Sponsor a neighborhood mailbox or front porch decorating contest. Pick an upcoming holiday, like Halloween or Thanksgiving, and get everyone on your block to decorate their mailboxes or front porches.
For real “art project” fun, create a drawing that contains simple shapes and enlarge it as much as is necessary for the group you have gathered. One square foot per person is a good size. Outline the shapes in black paint and then cut the drawing into 12 inch squares. (Number the back of each sheet so assembly is easy.) Give each person a square and ask him/her to paint it in any colors and patterns he/she wants. When all the squares are complete, reassemble the drawing. You will be amazed at the remarkable results. Patterns and colors of all types come together in a totally unexpected way for a great presentation.
A final group project is one that is done totally for fun and creativity. Ask everyone to find an unusual piece of material from the trash (a found object), and then use that item as the basis for a piece of art. Maybe a tin can or empty pop bottle will be turned into a new and interesting item. Almost anything goes and you can have a lot of fun with this project.
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Big, Small, at the Art Institute of Chicago through June 27, 2008, is an interactive exhibition where families can enjoy a selection of artworks that relate to size. Learn how to turn a little drawing into a big one, create magical worlds in a box, and search for the smallest work of art in the museum’s collection.
The Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA, presents Family Storytelling on Saturdays through Sept. 1 (except August 4) at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Have you met Clara yet? She’s history’s most beloved rhinoceros—her European tour took the continent by storm—and the star of Oudry’s Painted Menagerie, an exhibition of amazingly life-like animal portraits by French painter Jean-Baptiste Oudry. Cheer and sing along with storyteller Victoria Burnett as she brings Clara’s incredible journey to life. Free. Sign up at the Museum Information Desk on the day of the program.
Children Should Be Seen: The Image of the Child in American Picture-Book Art is at the Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY, through October 21. The exhibit presents original illustration art by 83 artists in a comprehensive survey of the best children’s book art of the last 10 years and focuses on the changing image of the child in picture books and thus in contemporary culture. Organized in conjunction with The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.
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Printmaking inks include a variety of super quality materials for all types of printmaking. Etching, engraving, monoprinting, relief and letterpress inks, lithography, linoleum and woodblock and screen-printing inks are but a few of the specialty products available. Additionally, dry pigments, extenders for transparency, metallic inks, conditioners and modifiers, drying aids to speed drying of inks, anti-skin aids to lengthen working time with oil inks, special cleaners and so much more await the artist who explores the Graphic Chemical & Ink Co. web site at www.GraphicChemical.com.
Use of any ink has precautions and specific instructions for safety and proper application. Different brands offer the artist a wide range of possibilities for his or her creations. In the range of blacks alone, Graphic Chemical offers over 19 different names in a variety of professional quality brands. Many labels and colors are also included so that the artist may create an unlimited number of personal palette colors.
Major differences in ink opacity and viscosity make choices for specific application tricky. Thicker inks are well suited to being combined with extenders and conditioners and then rolled thinly and applied to plates or stones for etching and lithography. Inks with slightly less thickness are great for woodblock and screen-printing. They, too, can be amended with conditioners, driers and other mediums. Dry pigments can be added to almost all inks for dramatic effects as can many of the ink conditioners and amendments. Nearly transparent colors, so wonderful for overlaying and layering, can be created with the use of extenders with some inks. Etching Base can be used to create your own inks by holding pigment in suspension without loss of opacity; and gel medium can be used to reduce body, or “thickness,” of inks.
In combination with the special oils and other materials offered, you can create the exact thickness, the perfect opacity and the ideal tack for any printmaking application. Experimentation will yield interesting results so keep records until you find the combinations that give you the outcome you want. It is during such experiments that great strides can be made. Never be afraid to try something that seems improbable at first glance. It might end up being the perfect solution to your more recent creative question.
Graphic Chemical & Ink’s web site is like a special printmaker’s paradise of materials and ideas. Included is a Bulletin Board with Product Discussion and Printing Forum.
Explore the possibilities for application to your printmaking or start up a new direction of creativity by delving into prints and the wide array of creative opportunities they offer. Whether you are a devoted print artist or someone new to the methods, you will find exactly what you want and need to do the best work possible.
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The Pastel Journal’s 9th Annual Competition features over $15,000 in cash and prizes. All top prize winners and place winners will receive features in the April 2008 issue. The contest is open to all artists in North America and abroad and artists must be age 16 or over. Work must be at least 80% soft pastel; no oil pastel. Entrants may compete in five categories: Portrait& Figure, Still Life & Floral, Landscape & Interior, Abstract/Non-Objective, and Animal & Wildlife. Entry deadline: Sept. 4. Download an entry form at www.artistsnetwork.com/pasteljournal/pastel100_2007_entry.asp.
Northeast Quilts Unlimited 2007
Arts Center
Old Forge, NY
Oct. 13 – Nov. 11
A maximum of two entries per person is allowed; any combination of categories is acceptable except two full-size quilts. Only hand-quilted or hand-guided machine quilted pieces will be eligible for competition awards. Monetary awards will be given for outstanding appliqué technique; Adirondack theme; first, second and third place for quilts and wall hangings in the Open Division; a single Master Quilter; and popular vote prize. Registration form, entry fees and photos of each entry are due by Sept. 7. Call 315.369.6411 or see a prospectus at www.artscenteroldforge.org.
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowships
Established in 1925, the Foundation offers fellowships to further the development of scholars and artists by assisting them to engage in research in any field of knowledge and creation in any of the arts, under the freest possible conditions and irrespective of race, color or creed. Two annual competitions are held, one open to citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. and Canada and the other to citizens/residents of Latin America and the Caribbean. Fellowships are awarded to men and women who have already demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts. Application forms can be downloaded from www.gf.org or requested by writing to John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, 90 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016. Deadline for the U.S./Canadian competition is Sept. 15.
NEA American Masterpiece Grants
“American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius” is a major initiative to acquaint Americans with the best of their cultural and artistic legacy. Through American Masterpieces, the NEA will sponsor performances, exhibitions, tours and educational programs across all art forms that will reach large and small communities in all 50 states. Guidelines for Visual Arts Touring are now available at www.arts.gov/national/masterpiecesindex.html. Nonprofit, tax-exempt U.S. organizations; units of state or local government; or federally-recognized tribal communities or tribes may apply. Applications will be accepted until Sept. 24.
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Some airbrushes today come with pre-set adjustable handles. These are also available separately to update older airbrushes that came with conventional handles. Each individual airbrush manufacturer has a specific upgraded handle to fit their airbrushes exclusively. Why use a pre-set handle? For one, it is great for adjusting the airbrush to that perfect spray width desired by the artist. And it limits the amount of needle travel (how far back the trigger can be pulled), which gives more control of the airbrush. For beginning students, this allows them to set the airbrush so the dual-action brush will work similar to the single-action brush. The adjustment screw at the back of the handle is usually finely threaded so that the airbrusher can have precise fine-tuned control.
Depending on the manufacturer, there are a variety of different air caps available for different effects. One from Iwata-Medea is called the crown cap. Because of its shorter length, it allows for finer detail work while still protecting the needle tip; and because of its construction, it decreases the paint buildup on the airbrush needle and inside the nozzle cap, which helps to eliminate spitting.
And, to help the inner workings of the airbrush move smoothly, Medea Super Lube—a natural and non-toxic lubricant--can be used on all moving parts of the airbrush—the main lever, the needle packing and the valve piston packing. It can also be applied to the needle cap and along the needle itself to enhance paint flow and to prevent paint from drying on the tip.
A must for any airbrush user is the airbrush holder. And this has come a long way from the simple holders of yesteryear. Iwata’s, made of high impact-resistant plastic and nickel-plated brass, can accommodate two airbrushes. The holder easily attaches to the work station no matter if it’s an easel, drafting table or table top. Each comes with a bracket that will accommodate most air filters and regulators so that air adjustments are quickly accomplished and always within reach.
See your retailer and visit www.iwata-medea.com.
The July/August issue of AirbrushTalk is now available online at www.airbrushtalk.com. Don’t miss Back to School Projects by Janean S. Thompson, Airbrush Troubleshooting: Why Does Your Airbrush Clog and Spit? By Pamela and Donn Shanteau, “Simple Pleasures” by Wes Hawkins and more. Sign up for your FREE subscription!
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Milestone—Renowned cartoonist J. B. Handelsman has died at the age of 85. His work appeared for many years in The New Yorker as well as Playboy and other publications; and he illustrated many books, including a number for children.
Economic Impact Reported—According to a visitor survey released by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, two widely acclaimed and attended exhibitions in the fall 2006/winter 2007 season generated $377 million in spending by regional, national and foreign tourists to New York. Cezanne to Picasso: Ambroise Vollard, Patron of the Avant-Garde and Americans in Paris, 1860-1900 attracted almost 312,000 visitors.
Auction News—Sotheby’s first sale of Impressionist and Modern Art held in Paris realized a total of over $5.9 million, with 83% of the lots sold by value. Top seller was Printemps by Francis Picabia, while records were achieved by Man Ray (2), Andre Masson and Sonia Delaunay. At Christie’s in London, a masterpiece by Raphael sold for a record $37.2 million. Christie’s International announced worldwide sales of $3.25 billion for the first six months of 2007, an increase of 32% over last year’s figure for the same period.
See Outdoor Sculpture – The Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA, now offers the opportunity to view modern and contemporary sculpture, including works by Maillol and Miro. The majority are located outdoors in two newly named spaces, The Fran and Ray Stark Sculpture Garden and The Fran and Ray Stark Sculpture Terrace as well as in the Lower Terrace Garden. Enjoy a free audio tour using your cell phone, listen online or download the tour to bring with you.
Learning & Product Expo: ART!
This popular art event was expanded to three dates for 2007, so don’t miss the last one in California at the Pasadena Conference Center from Oct. 12-14. (Classes begin Oct. 11.) At this unique experience for artists you can visit an exhibit hall packed with art material manufacturers and choose from a program of 200 art classes. Learn new techniques from some of the most popular instructors in the country; experiment with new materials; stock up on art supplies at great prices; and see free demonstrations! Visit www.learningproductexpo.com for more information and to register.
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Exhibitions:
Atlanta, GA – High Museum of Art – Cecilia Beaux, American Figure Painter illuminates Beaux’s work by exploring issues of gender, class and the importance of place in relation to her identity and reputation as the leading female artist working in the U.S. at the turn of the 20th century. Featured are approximately 85 works, including oils, works on paper and decorative objects. Through Sept. 9
Greenwich, CT – Bruce Museum – Fakes and Forgeries: The Art of Deception presents 60 examples of Western paintings, works on paper, sculpture and decorative arts that have been recognized as imposters, including examples of the rarest and most famous deceptive works. Themes of connoisseurship, authentication and conservation, as well as the evolving scholarship of stylistic development, are examined. Through Sept. 9.
New York, NY – Whitney Museum of American Art – Summer of Love: Art of the Psychedelic Era revisits the unprecedented explosion of contemporary art and popular culture brought about by the civil unrest and pervasive social change of the ’60s and early ‘70s, when a new psychedelic aesthetic emerged in art, music, film, architecture, graphic design and fashion. Included are paintings, photographs and sculptures as well as important posters, album covers and underground magazines. Through Sept. 16.
Fort Worth, TX – Kimbell Art Museum – The Mirror and the Mask: Portraiture in the Age of Picasso is a dazzling collection of modern portraits and self-portraits that explore how portraiture developed over the course of the 20th Century. Featured are 80 – 100 paintings and a small number of sculptures by artists including Cezanne, van Gogh, Modigliani, Bacon, Dubuffet and others—exclusively at this venue. Through Sept. 16.
| “Rembrandt painted about 700 pictures – of these, 3,000 are in
existence.” –Wilhelm Bode |
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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. 17 No. 10 — August 2007
New Gagne Projector Floor Stand
