Art Month

October is recognized as the official Art Month by many arts organizations.
Visit a local participating art materials retailer for special events and activities.

Art Techniques

Scratchboard

Like many of the materials contemporary artists use, scratchboard might seem a new innovation, but it actually has a rather lengthy history.  Modern scratchboard, as we know it today, originated in the 19^th century in England and France.  It aided the printing industry hugely, replacing wood, metal and linoleum-based materials from which illustrations for publishing were made.  Scratchboard made possible very fine-line illustrations that could be photographically produced without any loss of quality. 

While scratchboard was limited to single-color reproductions and was very helpful in newspaper illustration, from the 1930’s to the 1950’s it was one of the preferred techniques for medical, scientific and product illustrations.  The clarity and fine line capabilities made it extremely useful when details were important.  The combination of scratchboard and pen and ink was often used to create extremely detailed renderings.  Modern use of the media has made a comeback and is used for editorial illustrations in magazines and in ads and book illustrations.

Exactly what is scratchboard?  It can be, and in most cases is, a ground material that is coated with white clay or chalk dust.  This white surface is then sealed with a layer of ink.  The dense black ink creates a surface through which you scribe with a variety of possible tools.  Perhaps an old crow quill pen point, a tapestry needle, an etching scribe…even a pushpin point can be used very successfully.  Unusual line scribing tools might include clay-working tools such as surface-abrading wire brushes, dull ice picks or nails.  As you can see there are plenty of options.

Additionally, it is possible to add color to the scratched areas of your work.  By using watercolor over the white lined areas you want toned, you can create a mixed-media work that is exquisite.  The transparent nature of watercolor is ideal for such an application.  It lies in over the exact location where you want it and does not change the look of the black surface.  Where you have taken most of the black surface away, there is now an open slate to watercolor in subtle tonal changes or vivid, eye-popping shades.  You are in charge of the initial design.  You control the colors added.  It is all your creation.  And isn’t that a joy, especially when the original material is so easy to work with and the results happen so quickly?

Today’s artists can use scratchboard as an extremely personal and exhilarating media.  Because it is spontaneous in that “you scratch-you see” immediately, it is the perfect material for today’s busy, time-challenged artists.  Scratchboard employs the practice of taking away from the surface rather than adding to it, as is the case with most other art media.  Scratchboard is ready when you are.  It is fun and any level of artist can appreciate its qualities of fine detail, contrast, ease of use, portability and limited space consumption.  And it is available at any art material dealer. Scratchboard seems to have something for everyone!

Scratchbord from Ampersand Art Supply is a clay-coated hardboard panel for scratchboard that is coated with India ink.  Comparable to traditional paper scratchboard — except better – it’s more durable and easier to scratch into for cleaner and crisper details and lines.  For added dimension, colored inks can be added to the white areas and then scratched again for additional highlights and volume.  Completed artwork can be sprayed with Claybord Fixative, allowing the finished scratchboard to be framed without glass.

Additional Ampersand products for scratchboard include a Claybord Ink Set in six colors, Scratchbord Tool Kit with five tools that are also sold separately and project booklets, kits and a video.  See your retailer and visit www.ampersandart.com.

Art Competition

American Art Clay Company’s Open Design Challenge will showcase Friendly Plastic Designer Sticks and Pellets.  The challenge is open to all ages with cash prizes and awards given in four categories that require use of at least 50% Friendly Plastic in each entry.  All entries will be showcased in a gallery online at www.amaco.com and at the Craft & Hobby Association Show (CHA) in Anaheim, CA, in January 2010.  All winners will receive an etched crystal award, a check for $100, plus a check for $100 to the charity of their choice.

This is the second year that AMACO is honoring the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust with a challenge category called “Butterflies.”  You are invited to make butterflies (as a symbol representing each child lost) to be installed at the Holocaust Museum Houston Butterfly Project.  Cash prizes and awards will be given for the best butterfly made by an artist under the age of 15 as well as over the age of 15.

In addition, two more categories are designed to shake things up, loosen creative ideas and stimulate original artwork!  Awards will be given for the Best Mixed Media/Altered Art Project and for the Best Mixed Media Jewelry Design.  The former can be anything from paper crafting to home décor, wearable or installation art; while the latter combines Friendly Plastic Design Sticks or Pellets with other mediums that appeal to you.  Deadline:  Nov. 6.

Friendly Plastic is a remarkable plastic modeling material that comes in easy-to-use metallic sticks that are ideal for jewelry, home décor, card embellishments and many other craft projects.  Friendly Plastic Pellets are for sculpting or pressing into a mold and are available in 4.4 oz and 28 oz. jars, as well as a 25 lb. pail.  See your retailer for three new assortments, each with 40 sticks (four each of 10 exciting colors) in “Celebration,” “Inspiration” and “Imagination.”  Visit www.amaco.com for design competition info/online entry form and product information.

Art Marketing

Going with the Flow to Stay Connected to Your Market

By Donn Shanteau

When you are an artist who desires to support yourself, it is imperative that you understand your target market and its mood.  Find a way to stay informed about the trends in color and subject matter that are popular. A good way to do this is to look online or through any publications that show what is hot in the top galleries and other selling venues. Armed with this knowledge, you can determine whether to “go with the flow” and create pieces that appeal to the trend buyers or choose to march off in another artistic direction. I realize that most artists would prefer to be influenced only by their own muse, but sometimes the bean counter on the opposite shoulder from where the artist sits needs to assert him/herself to keep the cash flowing.

In the present economy, I am noticing that art buyers are still out there. They might be spending less, but they still exist. Tailor your art offerings to the softer market by painting smaller pieces or by concentrating on subject matter that doesn’t take forever to render.  This way you can offer your wares to the buyer at an attractive price.  But don’t get me wrong; I am not saying to “knock out” generic garbage. Remain true to your style and talent. Always endeavor to deliver your best effort, even if it is a “small job.”  What you will see happen over time is that as the economy recovers, the clients that you cultivated with the wonderful “bargain art” will be on tap to purchase your higher-priced offerings.

Everyone loves a bargain, especially now.  One method that I use to engage potential buyers is to show some higher-priced pieces that are mixed in with more affordable works. Viewers will be wowed with your top work and then appreciate that they can own some of your artwork for less than they thought. Once you have acquired a happy customer, the chances of selling him/her one of your showpieces increases dramatically.

There is a school of thought that says: “Any exposure is good.” I generally agree with that statement but with a provision. Selling artwork in non-conventional venues does get you seen. But are you being seen by the right people? I was never a fan of hanging paintings in restaurants, for example, but all of the marketing gurus say to do it when attempting to gain exposure. A better option might be to attend some street art fairs to be seen and attempt to build a client base with some of your more affordable works that are on display. Painting on-site draws a crowd. This provides an opportunity to connect with the onlookers and develop the familiarity and trust that encourage sales.

By tailoring your marketing to appeal to the bargain hunters out there, you can still generate sales to tide you over until the economy frees up. Recognize the spending constraints that are in effect today and resist the urge to buck the trend of downsizing that has engulfed the globe. Don’t swim against the current; go with the flow to stay connected with the temperament of your buyer and you are sure to see positive results.

Art Events

New York State - Quadricentennial Celebration – This year New York State celebrates its 400^th birthday, with statewide celebrations commemorating the discoveries of the Hudson River by the English captain Henry Hudson on behalf of the Dutch and of Lake Champlain by Frenchman Samuel de Champlain, as well as the 200^th anniversary of Robert Fulton’s maiden journey up the Hudson River on the world’s first successful steamboat. Myriad events are scheduled, including art exhibitions, talks, concerts, conferences and more.  A few exhibitions include:

—Glories of the Hudson:  Frederic Edwin Church’s Views from Olana is on view at the Olana State Historic Site, Greenport, through Oct. 12.

—River Views of the Hudson River School is at the Thomas Cole House, Catskill, through Oct. 31.

—The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie presents Drawn by New York—Six Centuries of Watercolors and Drawings at the New York Historical Society through Nov. 1.

—Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum has loaned Johannes Vermeer’s painting The Milkmaid to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC, for a special exhibition that will bring together all five paintings by Vermeer from its collection, along with a select group of works by other Dutch artists.  Through Nov. 29.

—Double Dutch – The Dutch-American Vision on the Hudson is at The Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Peekskill, through July 26, 2010.

Visit www.ny400.org and http://exploreny400.com for more information/events.

TV Series – art:21, Art in the Twenty-First Century, begins Season Five of the George Foster Peabody award-winning television series on Wednesdays—Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28—at 10 p.m. (ET) nationwide on PBS.  (Check local listings for details.)  See why, where and how 14 featured artists work. www.art21.org.

New York, NY – The International Vintage Poster Fair will be held Oct. 16-18 at the Metropolitan Pavilion on 18^th St.  This year’s feature exhibition, “Aviation Posters from Bi-Plane to Jet Plane,” will highlight the history of flight as seen in travel, transportation, propaganda and other posters. 

San Francisco, CA – The West Coast International Vintage Poster Fair will be held Oct. 23-25 at the Fort Mason Center, Landmark Building A.  1.800.856.8069. www.posterfair.com.

Chicago, IL – Costume Creations is scheduled for Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Ryan Education Center, The Art Institute of Chicago.  Create a wearable art piece to celebrate the season.  Come with your own ideas or let the museum’s collection be your inspiration as you work with artists to design your own costume creation.  Registration is not required.  312.857.7161; familyprograms@artic.edu.

San Francisco, CA – The Legion of Honor presents Being John Baldessari Art Studio and Printmaking Demonstrations on Saturdays through Nov. 7 from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. See printmaking in action with a different artist demonstration each week and enjoy a hands-on art making activity for the entire family. 415.750.3531; amartin@famsf.org.

Boston, MA – The 13^th Annual Boston International Fine Art Show will be held Nov. 12-15 at The Cyclorama, Boston Center for the Arts.  New England’s premier show and sale of contemporary and traditional fine art will feature 40 outstanding galleries from the U.S., Europe and Canada.  617.363-0405; www.fineartboston.com.

Artist’s Profile

Franz Kline 1910-1962

There is an energy, an excitement in most of Franz Kline’s paintings that creates instant reactions by most viewers.  His works are hailed as some of the most influential of any artist from the second generation of the non-objective Abstract Expressionist movement.  His use of the materials broke many barriers that even in expressionistic work of his period were adventurous and innovative.

Born in Wilkes-Barre, PA, on May 23, 1910, Franz Kline and his life reads like a movie script.  As a young artist, Kline studied painting in the Art Department at Boston University and took classes at the Boston Art Students League (1931-1935).  His hopes were set on becoming a recognized and famous painter.  For years he struggled without success (not unusual, but nonetheless dramatic). He eventually found a style that became the “overnight success” many think he was.  But he had worked for years to discover the clean, gesture style of painting that won him fame.  Though he could and did work in color, it is the huge scale black-on-white paintings that are most associated with his success and recognized style.

Although many thought he took stark clean, white canvas and painted bold, heavy black lines on them, Kline was offended by that association. His energy spilled out onto the canvas; his study of minimalistic “landscapes” of New York and Pennsylvania that looked so spontaneous were actually deep studies of massive forms in dense space.

As for materials, Kline broke more boundaries by using ordinary house paint as the medium for his works and huge housepainter’s brushes to quickly apply paint.  The canvases he worked on were not stretched to frames but instead were tacked to the wall where the artist almost literally dove into his work.  Paint drenched the walls and floor around his work space.  Part of the style he perfected was the extension of paint past the edges of the canvas, as though the line was interrupted and the viewer was engaged to finish the stroke. Kline used such drama as a sort of framework for his work.  The energy and dynamism of such a practice left the viewer thinking he had glimpsed at a piece or fragment of a much more massive scene. 

Kline occupies a prominent place in the American Abstract Expressionist 20^th century movement.  His concentrated expression and energy enamored him to the art-viewing public.  He claimed his greatest influence was William de Kooning, whom he met in 1943.  He also became friends with Jackson Pollock during the same time.  Even with influence by these two dynamic painters, Kline placed himself apart.  His work was not derivative nor was it to be dismissed.  Although he had little or no explanation for the meaning of his paintings, he stated repeatedly that his works were not supposed to have meaning – that was not their purpose.  They were painted to make one “feel” rather than comprehend. 

A likeable, athletic and good-natured man, Kline was not to enjoy financial success until the mid 1950’s.  This came only after many exhibits of his works in galleries and at the Museum of Modern Art (NY).  But, this prosperity was not enjoyed for long.  He was hospitalized in 1962 from long-standing rheumatic heart trouble, put on a strict diet and told to alter his lifestyle.  But his illness was incurable and he died in New York in May, 1962.  The art world was shocked at his untimely death. 

The legacy Franz Kline left continues to impact young artists.  The energy and expression in his works stimulates many into experimentation with their own painting styles. 

Airbrush

Tips for Airbrushing Chocolate

It seems like everywhere you look today you see or read about people utilizing the airbrush in the culinary arts—on cakes or sugar or chocolate.  And, like in all the arts, artists sometimes tend to keep those “secret tips” to themselves.   However, the more information that is available, the better it is for everyone involved.  So following are a few recommendations for airbrushing chocolate:

—Chocolate melts at normal body temperature, so when airbrushing color onto chocolate the color cannot be too warm or it will melt the chocolate.

—The ideal room temperature in which to work is between 65-70 degrees F. with humidity that does not exceed 50%. (Chocolate and water don’t “mix.”)

—A moisture trap on your air source (compressor) is necessary to prevent droplets of condensation from mixing with the air that’s propelling the colorant.

—Cocoa butter is one of the most utilized colorants for airbrushing on chocolate.  It should be kept at approximately 90 degrees F. for proper spraying.  This is achieved by using a heat gun to warm the metal tip of the airbrush as well as the paint reservoir (bottle, side-feed funnel or the top attached color cup on a gravity feed airbrush).  It will likely take a lot of practice and patience to master this!

—When airbrushing into a candy mold for the top decoration of a confection such as a bonbon, you must think in terms of reverse painting (such as that done on glass). The design to appear on top of the confection is sprayed into the mold first.  Depending on the colors used, this design is backed by several sprayed coats of white to provide contrast for the design.  The candy shell is then made with chocolate, the filling is inserted (tap the mold to eliminate air bubbles), and the candy is then backed with chocolate.

—When spraying colorant for candy or cakes, the same technique is used as with other airbrush applications.  Use on/off triggering as you make a pass with the airbrush.  Be wary of “barbells” at the beginning and end of spraying; keep your hand moving and avoid hesitation.

Some of the most popular airbrushes for spraying chocolate are constructed of metal and are dual-action triggered.  A side-feed airbrush that contains a color cup provides for quick color changes and is available for both right- and left-handed persons.  However, if you are spraying broad areas, a pistol-triggered style airbrush such as the Iwata Revolution HP TR1 is recommended for ease of operation.  See your retailer and visit www.iwata-medea.com.

New Airbrush Newsletter – Visit www.airbrushtalk.com for the latest issue of AirbrushTalk, a bi-monthly newsletter for airbrush enthusiasts.  Articles include OK—It’s Time for Wacky Airbrush Fun! by Janean S. Thompson, Diversify to Have Fun and Earn Income by Donn Shanteau and Making Space – Using Freehand Techniques to Create Celestial Illusions by Thomas Adams.

ArtPourri

Crime Alert Issued – The Los Angeles Police Department has issued a crime alert for stolen art.  Between Sept. 2 and 3 a burglar stole 10 silkscreen paintings of celebrity athletes by Andy Warhol from the home of Richard L. Weisman, a businessman and prominent collector. A $1 million reward is being offered for information leading to the recovery of the paintings.  Other Warhol originals exist for each of the images, but in different colors.  Access the Crime Alert Flyer at http://www.lapdonline.org/newsroom/news_view/42824.

New Book Club – This month The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston will launch the new online MFAH Book Club.  Designed for existing book clubs, this web-based reading program links works of literature to art at the museum.  The fall 2009 selections include The Private Lives of the Impressionists by Sue Roe and Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper by Harriet Scott Chessman.  Guided Book Club visits begin this month at the museum.  To participate in the club, go to www.mfah.org/bookclub.

Fall Auction Offerings – At Christies, the Prints and Multiples sale on Oct. 27-28 will feature a strong selection of works from renowned printmakers, including Picasso, MC Escher, Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns.  At Sotheby’s, On Nov. 4 the Evening Sale of Impressionist and Modern Art will feature seven paintings from the Durand-Ruel Collection, including works by Renoir, Pissarro and Sisley.

USPS News – Thanksgiving Stamps — To commemorate the Thanksgiving holiday tradition of parades, the U.S. Postal Service has issued four stamps featuring iconic scenes: a lively marching band led by a flamboyant drum major, large colorful balloons shaped like favorite animals and characters, a lasso-twirling cowboy and delighted spectators gathered on the sidewalk to watch.  The stamps were designed by artist Paul Rogers of Pasadena, CA.

Painting Reattributed to Master – The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC, has announced that a technical examination and cleaning of one of its paintings, formerly ascribed to the workshop of Velazquez, has revealed an autograph work by the great 17^th century Spanish master himself.  The picture entered the museum’s collection in 1949, and the rehabilitation of this picture now represents a major “new” acquisition for the Museum, which possesses the finest collection of works by the master in America.

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 19 No. 12 — October 2009