Holiday Creativity

Personalized Greeting Cards

Designing personalized cards is a great way to share your creativity and send holiday greetings at the same time.  Materials can be as varied and unique as you want, and the sentiment can be as specific as the recipients.  Following are a few ideas to help you get started.  Change the materials listed to fit your needs and get an early start.  But beware!  Creating cards can become habit-forming.

The most direct way to create original art cards is to start with pre-made packs of blank cards and envelopes.  If you opt for this convenience, there is a select variety of colors, textures and sizes.  If you choose, on the other hand, to create your own collection of blank cards, you have a wide range of colors and fiber content as the basis of your original art.  You might choose watercolor paper as the base for your cards.  Traditional card stock is another good choice.  Quality drawing papers, sold by the sheet, afford you a huge range of colors at a very reasonable cost.  Check out your sources and select some samples to experiment with.  One will be just right for your style and project.

Adding found objects to the surfaces of the cards (leaves, twigs, tiny pinecones, ribbons, raffia, pressed flower petals, etc.) can give your cards an instant appeal and personality that separates them from the norm.  When you send such a crafty card, it is received with much appreciation.  Other personally selected items such as trinkets, gemstones, sparkles like rhinestones and glitter, tiny bells or holiday ornaments, stickers, foam cutouts and the like give cards a very festive look that is easy to accomplish.

For the amateur or professional artist, painting scenes or designs on the fronts of cards with your choice of media is also one way to share your creativity in a very personal and special way.  Use any painting material that is suitable for paper.  Watercolor designs, both abstract and representational, work very well.  Tip:  Be sure the watercolor is completely dry before slipping it into the envelope.  Colored pencil, conte crayon (spray set for longevity,) charcoal and pastel (also set with fixative), markers and watercolor pencils give especially neat and colorful results.  Art/craft stores are loaded with all the popular materials, and a trip down the aisles will really get you thinking and inspired.

Rubber stampers have a wide range of materials from glitter inks to puff inks and flocking powders, along with an enormous range of designs from which to choose.  Series works are very popular with rubber stamp artists.  Creating a group of similar cards is easy and fun once you are set up at your work table for a creative session.  And adding a stamped design or two to other media looks great, too.  Watercolor works, colored pencil sketches, abstract designs and more can really “pop” with the added embellishment of a stamped design.

The most frequently created cards are holiday cards, but you can use the knowledge you gain during this season to jump start other reasons to create special cards for special people.  Every occasion for which you might otherwise purchase a ready-made card can be a good reason to make an original art card.  But right now is the best time to get rolling on card creation.  Scout out the materials you already have, buy some specialty add-ons, new art materials or papers and get started.  You will enjoy the creation process and end up with a selection of true “art” cards.

The Artist’s Marketplace

Da Vinci Paints – New Fast Dry Alkyd Oil

Da Vinci’s new Fast Dry Alkyd Oil is the first professional fast dry alkyd oil with no compromise in pigment load and no strong alkyd smell—simply superior to any fast dry oil you’ve ever tried!  Thin film dries to the touch in 24-48 hours, depending on the pigment.  This collection of 60 colors has a thick cream-like consistency that is perfect for easy brushing or carving with a painting knife.  Colors are mixable with traditional linseed-based oil paints and can be thinned with Da Vinci’s Alkyd Paint Thinner to lower viscosity and increase transparency.  All colors are available in 40.6 and 150ml tubes and are rated either Lightfastness I (excellent) or II (very good).  A selection of colors would make a great holiday gift or stocking stuffer!  See your retailer and visit www.DaVinciPaints.com.

Sakura of America – Collection Sets

The new Sakura of America Collection Set Series is highlighted this fall as contest prizes of blog sites (2 Sketches 4 You and Creative Therapy), magazines (Shojo Beat manga magazine, Oct.) and online publications (Scrapbooking.com and TVWeekly.com).  These sets are the most popular Sakura brands packaged in durable, reusable containers that store easily to help stay organized.

Collection Set brands include Gelly Roll Metallic, Gelly Roll Stardust, Glaze, Micron 05, Soufflé, Pigma All Black and Permapaque Fine with both traditional and metallic colors.  Each set contains 16 pieces.  These are perfect for gifts, awards and incentives.  Visit your retailer and go to www.SakuraofAmerica.com/collections.

Artograph – Limited Time Mail-in-Rebate Offer

With the holidays quickly approaching, now is a good time to save on select Artograph products for the artist on your list.  Special rebates are available for a limited time on the following products:  Super Prism Projector, Prism Projector, Tracer Projector, Tracer Jr. Projector, Mobile Floor Stand, Open Studio Carts and Spray Booth. This is limited to one offer per person, household and/or address except where prohibited by law and to qualifying Artograph products listed and purchased at a participating retailer between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31; mail-in rebate must be postmarked by 1/5/09. Visit www.artograph.com for online mail-in rebate info and form.

Artool - New HOTHEADZ and BONEHEADZ Freehand Airbrush Templates by Mike Lavallee

Artool Products Co. has announced the availability of the new Artool HOTHEADZ and BONEHEADZ Freehand Airbrush Templates designed by Mike Lavallee.  For a few years the world of kustom painting hasn’t been the same since the creation of Mike’s True Fire® airbrushing techniques. Now Mike turns up the heat a few notches with his outrageous skull offerings, which are sure to win over the hearts ‘n souls of kustom auto painters everywhere and will save you a ton of time. There are two sets of HOTHEADZ to choose from, which contain 4 sizes in SM through XLG: SMOKIN’ JOES and HELL RIDERS; and two sets of BONEHEADZ, which also contain 4 sizes in SM through XLG: CRANIUM, SCREAMERS and EIGHT8DEAD.   These realistic skulls highlight a myriad of angles, sizes and looks, and they make a great gift for the kustom painter on your list!

See your favorite Iwata-Medea-Artool supplier and visit www.ArtoolProducts.com. 

Painting

Painting Terms I

Many terms used in painting are self-explanatory or give some indication what they are just by their names.  Here we will discuss a few terms that perhaps just beg to be explored.  With names like alla prima, backruns and dribbling, maybe there is something new to discover that may have actually been around for a while.

Alla prima is a painting technique that means “at first.”  It describes a piece of art that an artist does in one sitting.  Started with a rough drawing and made with only a few tones of paint usually applied with dry brush, details and more colors are added.  This is very similar to the way many of us learned to paint…umber sketch strokes with color added on top.  Quickly add light colors into the dark sketch and then continue to add tones to complete the work.  Some highlights can be added as the work dries, but can also be applied as the last tone.  Color glazes can be added to tone and soften the look after the work is completely dry.  There is a translucent look to the finished work.

Backruns—also called blossoms, blooms, oozles, watermarks or runbacks—comprise another watercolor “technique.”  The surface tension of watercolor paper, water and the pigments in the paint all work in a type of capillary action and seek dryer sections of the paper.  As wetter areas move into dryer ones, they pick up pigment and trail it along the outer edges.  Lighter tones remain inside and the perimeter achieves a darker, irregular edge.  Backruns can be subtle or dramatic, depending on the amount of paint and moisture in both areas.  They can be created by adding paint or water to a previously painted area as it dries.  Another technique is to blot a wet area, which causes the remaining wet to draw towards the blotted spot. Backruns are used to create a flare of light or simply a decorative effect.

Dribbling is not a proper term, but does describe one painting method that allows the artist to drip color onto canvas in a variety of doses.  Whether tiny droplets or huge swashes of color, the artist drops the paint on, rather than applying it directly on the surface with a brush.  The dripping can be done with a brush, such as the work of Jackson Pollock.  When dripped onto wet canvas, the paints spread and diffuse.  When applied to dry canvas, especially unsized, the paint stays put and becomes a series of droplets.  Color and texture are everything in this technique.  While it looks as though the artist had no plan in mind, most of the works done in this technique are well thought out and precisely planned.

With all the terms and techniques out there, here are a few more to experiment with and perhaps discover a new style, new direction or a fresh look in the way you paint.

Art Events

—The Wichita (KS) Center for the Arts presents Holiday Tables 2008 from Nov. 6-9. Galleries will be transformed into a show of elaborately decorated tables designed by individuals, business professionals and designers with the theme “Tables to Inspire, The Art of Entertaining.” www.wcfta.com.

—SOFA Chicago 2008, Nov. 7-9, takes place at Festival Hall – Navy Pier in Chicago, IL.  Celebrating its 15^th anniversary, the Art Fair will present the work from 100 international galleries and dealers from 16 countries, special exhibits, an extensive lecture series and more. www.sofaexpo.com.

—The Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park will be the location for a free Family Fun program, “Leaf It to Me” on Nov. 22 from 10 a.m. to Noon.  Wander the Park to gather orange, gold and crimson leaves to make into fantastic leaf prints. For kids age 12 and under and their parents/guardians.  Begin at PACCAR Pavilion, rain or shine.  Registration:  https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/secure/events/eventRSVP.asp?eventID=15697

—The Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA, presents the 2008 Holiday Art & Craft Festival from Nov. 28 – 30 at the Scottish Rite Center.  More than 100 regional artists and craftspeople will offer their unique gift items—jewelry, gourmet food, ceramics, paintings, holiday items and more.  A Victorian Santa will also be onsite for photos. http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/holidayfestival/

—The Art Institute of Chicago’s (IL) annual family program, Wreathing of the Lions, takes place on the Michigan Avenue steps on Nov. 28 at 10 a.m.  After the ceremony, create a wreath inspired by the exhibition The Divine Art:  Four Centuries of European Tapestries.

Painting Styles

American Scene Painting

During the 1920’s to 1940’s there was a surge in a naturalist, descriptive style of easel painting.  The works created during this time came to be referred to as American Scene Paintings, an umbrella term for both rural and urban depictions of human element in the U.S.  After World War I, many U.S. artists rejected the modern trends that had blossomed from their European roots.  These artists chose to adopt a rigid style that showed urban and rural scenes in prideful realism.

Many of these works depict a nationalism, patriotism and romanticism of everyday American life.  Some works stressed the local and small-town themes often called “American regionalism,” while those depicting urban scenes were referred to as “social realism.”  Typical rural American life took on new meaning with the likes of Thomas Hart Benton, John Steuart Curry and Grant Wood.  Urban realism was captured by artists such as Edward Hopper, Diego Rivera, Jacob Lawrence and Reginald Marsh.  Each genre played a big role in New Deal art.  Art Deco, which also flourished during this time, was more about high society than the common man doing common things.

One quote by Edward Hopper in reference to the art created during this push into stark realism says volumes.  He denounced leaning towards European styles, very specifically French influences, claiming that American artists “are not French and never can be and any attempt to do so is to deny our inheritance and to try to impose upon ourselves a character that can be nothing but a veneer upon the surface.”

As a revolt against the modern European style, American Scene Painting was viewed as works that attempted to define a uniquely American style of art.  It was not a formal art movement, but was an attempt by American artists to move away from the abstract style during the time between the two World Wars.  While most of the well recognized participants in this period had studied in Paris, they wanted to create an art form that was truly American, start to finish.  It was their belief that a return to the more natural agrarian roots prior to modernism would provide a real solution to the hardships of the time and ease the horrors of the Great Depression.

Shunning the city and its rapidly developing technological advances created a focus on rural “earthy” imagery that was regionalism.  One famous image that falls into this category is Grant Wood’s “American Gothic,” where a farming couple stands stoically, pitchfork in hand.  Regionalist art was widely appreciated for its reassuring images of the American heartland.   Probably the most famous and well recognized art was created by Norman Rockwell, who for decades took simple, everyday events and turned them into remarkable art.  He did explore social situations also, with images of civil rights and poverty but is best known for his simple and sensitive images.

Social realism was more political in scope and was critical of society, especially its rendering of severe social problems.  Images that depict the political messages of Social Realism include the great murals of the 30’s, which nearly all have imagery of social commentary. They occurred immediately after the beginning of American Scene Painting and were greatly influenced by these naturalist styles.  The political shifts that followed the Great Depression motivated artists to depict and reveal their personal views in their paintings.  During this time, few artists escaped being included in the American Scene Painting grouping.

Although modernism did finally become a major movement in America, the works of realistic depiction of everyday life are still enormously popular.  They seem to tie to the roots of many of their admirers.  American Scene Paintings are enjoyed by millions every year and are now considered of fundamental historical importance.

Art Competitions

—Open Competition 2009 – ABSTRACTION NOW, sponsored by Nassau Community College, will be held Jan. 20-March 26, 2009 at the Firehouse Plaza Art Gallery in Garden City, NY.  It is open to all artists and work in all media is eligible.  Work must reflect the influence of 20^th century abstraction.  Deadline:  December 8.  For a prospectus, visit http://firehouse.ncc.edu/ArtFiles/prospectus_2009.pdf.

—ATTENTION Teachers and Parents!  The 14^th Annual Cray-Pas Wonderful, Colorful World Contest 2009 by Sakura of America has a deadline of December 12, so don’t delay!  Students in grades K-8 are eligible to enter this contest where the majority of the piece must be done in oil pastels; and Cray-Pas, the original oil pastels with an extensive range of color options, are recommended. Entries will be judged on image originality, creativity, emotional content, oil pastel skills and age appropriateness. Prizes range from U.S. Savings Bonds to art supplies and more.  In addition, there are Teacher Awards and School Awards. For further info/entry forms, visit www.sakuraofamerica.com or call 1.800.776.6257, Ext. 177.

Airbrush

Revisiting Gouache

Gouache was originally the name of the technique of painting with opaque watercolor.  It is made with the same materials as transparent watercolor—the same pigment with the addition of precipitated chalk to make it opaque.  But today the word gouache refers to the medium rather than the technique.

This paint was preferred by illustrators and photographic retouchers alike, and years ago it was handmade by artists.  It is somewhat easy to make and was designed to not necessarily be colorfast nor permanent.  Illustrators were primarily interested in speed of application rather than longevity, since the artwork was to be reproduced and not exhibited as fine art.  However, years later many renowned illustrators regretted doing renderings that had become valuable over time in a less than permanent medium.

Today the commercial brands of gouache are referred to and known as designer’s gouache, still manufactured for the commercial field but also as a fine art medium.  Contemporary gouache is lightfast and very durable with a brilliant color range. 

Because gouache is a water-based medium, it is ideal for airbrush technique, and artists/illustrators have relied upon it throughout the years.  One reason it is well suited for airbrushing is the ease of thinning, reducing with just water (to the consistency of milk) for spraying through the brush.  And, once dry, it holds up well to frisket film without picking or lifting with removal of the frisket.

The wide range of designer’s gouache colors is available in tubes, jars, blocks and powder form.  There is also a line of grey value gouache that is value coordinated for black/white photographic retouching.  These greys are ideal for illustration and painting and are numbered by value, 0 (white) to 7 (black), with six greys in between.  These are identified easily by the camera and come warm, cool and neutral to match the tone of photographic paper.  Although today the retouching of photos by hand is not as popular as in the past, it can be a very interesting process for the artist.

Designer’s gouache is compatible with paper surfaces, illustration board, Claybord, Mylar, acetate, photographic paper and canvas panels.  It is recommended for use on rigid surfaces but can be painted on canvas when it is gessoed and the finished painting is varnished.  Because gouache is not permanent when dry, it can be reworked as in watercolor technique.  A painting done in gouache is usually exhibited matted and under glass or Plexiglas.

Gouache is one of the least toxic materials to spray and is easily cleaned from the airbrush with soap and water.  Revisit gouache as a material to consider for your airbrush paintings.  You may find that the radiance of color cannot be as easily achieved with any other medium.

ArtPourri

Awards Announced – The MacArthur Foundation has named 25 new Fellows for 2008, all selected for their creativity, originality and potential to make important contributions in the future.  Among those receiving $500,000 in “no strings attached” support over the next five years are Tara Donovan, a sculptor from Brooklyn, NY, and Mary Jackson, a fiber artist from Charleston, SC.

– The Japan Art Association has announced the recipients of the 20^th Praemium Imperiale, recognized for their achievements, for the impact they have had internationally on the arts and for their role in enriching the global community.  Included among the five categories are Richard Hamilton, United Kingdom, for Painting; and Ilya & Emilia Kabakov, Russia/U.S. for Sculpture.  Each received $140,000, a diploma and medal.

USPS News - Vintage movie posters highlighting various facets of the African-American cultural experience as represented in early film have returned on 42-cent commemorative stamps dedicated by the USPS.  The Vintage Black Cinema stamps feature posters advertising movies produced for African-American audiences prior to 1950:  Black and Tan, The Sport of the Gods, Princess Tam-Tam, Caldonia and Hallelujah.

NEA News – The NEA has announced that the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs is the recipient of the 2008 National Accessibility Leadership Award/grant. The award recognizes exceptional initiatives or programs that make the arts accessible and inclusive for older adults and individuals with disabilities.

Refurbishing Completed/Begun – The San Diego Museum of Art (CA) recently revealed its newly restored historic façade.  The richly-detailed building has been obscured by cladding for almost ten years, while a restoration took place to preserve the façade and ensure the longevity of the Spanish Renaissance-style building.

—The Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA, took another major step forward in restoring the Southwest Museum, beginning an upgrade and repair of the Caracol Tower for damage sustained during the 1994 earthquake and over decades of deferred maintenance.  In 2012 the museum will re-open as the Southwest Museum Education and Cultural Center and house exhibitions of Native American artifacts from the Southwest Collection in two galleries, as well as complementary educational and cultural uses.

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 19 No. 1 — November 2008