Art Terms

The Language of Art - I

As technology and materials update, so do the terms used to describe various art techniques, tools and methods.  This article will discuss a few terms, some old and some newer, some frequently used and some seldom used but no less applicable.

A Binder is an adhesive liquid, most often non-volatile, that attaches pigment particles and the paint film into a single unit.  The binder also works to bond that single unit of pigment and film onto a substrate: paper, canvas, wood, plaster, etc.  This binder can be clear or cloudy but almost always dries with no visible trace.

Diluents are liquids, such as turpentine for oil painting and water for acrylic painting, used to dilute the paint color.  These can cause a change in the intensity of the pigment/color depending on the amount of diluent used.  If you just soften the paint, rather than make it a super fluid mixture, less change in dry paint color will occur.

A nearly self-explanatory term, blot drawing is exactly what it says—a technique where an accidental “blot” of paint is used as the starting point of a landscape painting.  By its very nature, that of spontaneity, it is not usually a representational landscape but one drawn from the artist’s imagination.

Anamorphosis is a distorted projection or perspective that requires the viewer to use a special device to see the image.  The word has its origin in Greek where ana–morphosis means “formed again.”  There are two main types of anamorphosis:  perspective and mirror.  Perspective anamorphosis requires the viewer to stand in a particular location in relation to the art, thus allowing the viewer to see the intended image.  With mirror anamorphosis, a curved mirror is placed on the drawing or painting to transform a flat distorted image into a three-dimensional picture that can be viewed from many angles.  Viewed without a mirror, the image is deformed and out of proportion; with the mirror, all the misshapen images are drawn into correct position.  The Chinese invented the anamorphoscope and in the 17^th and 18^th centuries Italians began to use slant anamorphosis which did not require mirrors.  Leonardo da Vinci mastered the technique.

Interference paint is used by acrylic painters and offers sheen that is unique.  This paint is created by combining a polymer emulsion (paint) with titanium-coated mica flakes.  Different sized particles offer different degrees of shimmer.  When painted over a dark or light color the artist manipulates the color that is visible.  Over dark backgrounds, the labeled interference color is most apparent.  Painted over white or very light surfaces, the complementary color to that of the labeled color appears.  The angle of view from which you are looking at the painting also affects the color you see in the interference areas.  Additionally, when used in faux finishing, the two tones offer an ever-changing tonal surface.

Ebauché is roughly described as a draft, a rough copy or a sketch.  As the French word means “outline,” “blank,” “frame” or “rough draft,” it is used to describe the base drawing done in a wash of diluted paints of earth tone color.  These tones are easily painted over yet give structure to the initial work done by the artist.  Ebauché is done in paint rather than using charcoal or pencil to sketch in preliminary shapes and structure.

Art terms are used continuously and are most often very specific to a technique or method of material application.  Look for more terms in coming issues.

Art Exhibitions

Catch these exhibitions quickly, for they will soon be ending.

Philadelphia Museum of Art (PA) – Arshile Gorky:  A Retrospective celebrates the extraordinary life and work of Arshile Gorky, a seminal figure in the movement toward abstraction that transformed American art. Included are about 178 works of art that survey Gorky’s entire career from the early 1920’s until his death in 1948.  Ends Jan. 10 and then travels to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, in June.

Cincinnati Art Museum (OH) – Imperishable Beauty:  Art Nouveau Jewelry features the organic beauty of jewelry from the Art Nouveau movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  See over 100 works by the major designers and jewelers of the era from France, Germany, Austria and the U.S as well as accompanying items from the Museum’s permanent collection:  textiles, posters, glass, silver and ceramics.  Through Jan. 17.

Whitney Museum of American Art (NYC) – Georgia O’Keeffe:  Abstraction is devoted to this largely unexplored area of the artist’s work and includes more than 130 paintings, drawings, watercolors and sculptures. Also included are select examples of Alfred Stieglitz’s famous photographic portrait series of O’Keeffe.  Through Jan. 17.

Museum of Modern Art (NYC) – Bauhaus 1919-1933:  Workshops for Modernity features over 400 works by Bauhaus students and faculty—including Anni Albers, Walter Gropius, Vasily Kandinsky, Paul Klee and others—and is accompanied by an interactive Bauhaus Lab and a Bauhaus-furnished reading lounge.  Through Jan. 25.

Seattle Art Museum – Michelangelo Public and Private:  Drawings for the Sistine Chapel and Other Treasures from the Casa Buonarroti explores the artist’s complex personality and different aspects of his life and career.  Centered around 12 original drawings, the exhibit also features portraits of the artist, personal documents and decorative arts from the Casa Buonarroti.  Through Jan. 31.

Kids’ Korner

New Art Zone Activity

NGA Kids Faces & Places is a two-part interactive exploration of American folk art.  Using pictorial elements inspired by the Gallery’s extensive collection of naïve paintings donated by Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, kids can construct panoramic landscapes and create portraits featuring a lively cast of characters.  Traditional folk music and surprising animations enliven the online compositions.  Suitable for all ages.  www.nga.gov/kids/zone/facesplaces.htm.

Disney Studio Exhibition

The New Orleans Museum of Art presents Dreams Come True:  Art of the Classic Fairy Tales from the Walt Disney Studio through March 14.  This major exhibition features more than 600 original artworks that shaped legendary animated features including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. There are also themed rooms showcasing artwork related to specific animated features and film clips that demonstrate how individual sketches and paintings lead to a finished celluloid masterpiece and more.  www.noma.org.

Best Books Named

The New York Times has announced their Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2009.  Included are:

—Only a Witch Can Fly by Alison McGhee, Ill. By Taeeun Yoo, Feiwel & Friends, ages 4-8.

—Moonshot:  The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca, Richard Jackson/Atheneum, ages 4-7.

—The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett, Simon & Schuster, ages 4-8.

—A Penguin Story by Antoinette Portis, HarperCollins, ages 4-8.

—The Lion and The Mouse by Jerry Pinkney, Little, Brown, ages 3-6.

—The Snow Day by Komako Sakai, Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, ages 3-5.

—Tales From Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan, Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, ages 12 and up.

—Yummy:  Eight Favorite Fairy Tales by Lucy Cousins, Candlewick, ages 3 and up.

—White Noise by David A. Carter, Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, ages 3 and up.

—All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon, Ill. by Marla Frazee, Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, ages 4-7.

Children’s Gallery Reopened

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art invites you to paint with them at The Boone Children’s Gallery now open inside the Korean art galleries in the Hammer Building.  Here kids and families will learn about brush painting and Korean art.  Admission is free; pick up a ticket at the box office. Children must be accompanied by an adult.  Closed Wednesdays.  323.857.6128. 

History Celebrated

The Public Tile Project, led by the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art in Peekskill, NY, was recently completed and unites students of the Hudson Valley with their Dutch heritage.  To celebrate the 400^th anniversary of Dutch settlement along the Hudson River, 2,000 students from 30 school districts designed Delftware-inspired tiles for a trail from the local train station to the art center.  The students’ tiles were embedded every 10 feet, alternating with 500 original historic and contemporary Dutch tiles to act as enduring symbols of history, cooperation, innovation and civic respect.  Benches along the 1-1/2 mile trail were also adorned with tiles, and larger groups are strategically placed at the train station, waterfront and art center.

Family Guide at MoMA

Step into the dark, weird and funny world of artist and filmmaker Tim Burton.  Use MoMA’s (NY) Family Activity Guide, intended for families with children ages 7 and up, to explore the Tim Burton retrospective (through April 26).  The guide is available free of charge at information desks on the first and third floors and at the Education and Family Information desk on the second floor of the Museum.

Decorative Art Techniques

Quick Gilding – Easy and Fun

Most of us like to see the shimmer of gold and other metal surfaces.  Throughout history, gold and the look of gold has been one of the most revered finishes.  Did you know it is fairly easy to replicate the look of fine metals without a lot of special equipment or expert know-how?  We will explore a few of the options that might motivate you to try your hand at leafing.  There’s no need to invest a fortune in pure gold leaf because there are great “look-alikes” that cost only a fraction of real gold.  Colors and finishes include silvers, golds and copper along with several heat-flashed surfaces with multi-colored tones reminiscent of old, aged metal surfaces.

Almost any surface can be covered with a metal leaf sheet.  Wood, plastic, glass, metal, and leather are all receptive to adhesives of different types.  These adhesives can hold metal leaf permanently, making the item appear richer, luminous and elegant.  The one fact that must be remembered is the surface should be as clean as possible prior to adhesion of metal leaf.  Clean according to the material you wish to gild.  Sand wood, file and sand metal, clean glass with an appropriate cleaner and be sure all surface dirt is removed from leather.  With a good surface to start, your success will be far greater and leaf adhesion will be successful.

Of the adhesives that are available, many offer a wide “open” time, i.e., the time between wet and dry.  For some projects you will want a wide open time.  One such adhesive is Rolco, which goes on wet, gets tacky, and then dries to a clear finish.  You would want to use it on textured surfaces where work is invested in getting the leaf into the crevices.  A short open time, such as that offered by acrylic painting medium, is good for quick leaf application on flat, smooth surfaces that you wish to cover quickly.  One such application might be the creation of plate chargers or smooth picture frames.  These can be coated in sections, leaf applied, then finished in segments.  Quick drying time is a benefit in this case.

For artists who want to use metal leaf in their works, both canvas and paper arts can be gilded.  The same medium you use in painting can be used to hold the leaf in place.  For acrylic painters, liquid painting medium is very easy to apply and will hold leaf smoothly.  Brush on an area of medium and then gently set leaf on it.  If your work is contemporary, use a dry brush to “scrunch” and spread the gold leaf over an area.  The threads of the canvas catch some but not all of the leaf, giving a spread to the sheen.  This technique can also be used on paper.

Decorative crafts can be bumped up a notch with metal leaf applications.  Collect unusual items and apply leaf to them for elegant gifts and décor items.  You will be surprised at the transformation of a bargain store item when you add metal leaf to it.  Glass can be leafed on the inside to make the outer surface more practical to maintain, but interior leaf negates the use of water – such as in the case of a flower vase.

Rub ‘n Buff Metallic Finishes and ArtEmboss Metal Sheets and Accessories from American Art Clay Company (AMACO) make it easy for the artist/crafter to leaf.  With Rub ‘n Buff you simply use your finger or a soft brush to add a beautiful wax metallic look to any antique or restoration craft project—and it’s available in 20 lustrous wax-metallic finishes as well as in a sampler.  ArtEmboss are soft and pliable colorful foil sheets that can be used to accent hundreds of your favorite craft projects.  They are available in 100% pure copper, brass, aluminum, colored aluminum and pewter.  A fine-point stylus is all that is needed to trace a pattern into the metal.

Light-weight ArtEmboss sheets are perfect for intricate detail patterns and decoration of light-weight objects such as greeting cards and gift tags.  Medium-weight sheets work well on photo albums, picture frames, gift boxes and a variety of fine art projects. Sheets measure 5-1/2” x 7” and cut easily with scissors.  A 3-piece stylus tool set is also available as well as Value Packs.  The self-adhesive backing makes these designs as easy to use as cut, peel, and stick! www.amaco.com.

Stroll the craft/art materials aisle of your retailer for leaf products and let your imagination soar.  You can create very rich items for low cost and have fun in the process.

Art Events

Ice Attraction

You have only until Jan. 10 to see Gaylord National’s ICE! in National Harbor, MD, which is part of “Christmas on the Potomac,” a 50-day celebration.  You’ll find a winter wonderland created entirely of 5,000 blocks of ice weighing 2 million pounds.  These were hand-sculpted by 40 master artisans from Harbin, China, a city that is world-famous for its annual snow and ice festival.  Tickets required. www.ChristmasOnThePotomac.com; 877-352-3629.

Ice Art Championships

Ice Alaska is hosting one of the largest annual ice art competitions and exhibitions in the world—the U.S. National Ice Carving Championship—at Ice Park in Fairbanks.  The BP World Ice Art Championships will open on Feb. 20 to host 30 NICA artists who have won the honor of competing for NICA’s U.S. title.

The World Ice Art Championships are a month-long event that involves more than 70 teams from all over the world.  The competitions and the accompanying Kids Park attract more than 100 ice artists and approximately 45,000 visitors. The park is open Feb. 20 through March 28.  Sculptors work from Feb. 20 – March 5 and all finished sculptures can be viewed March 6-13. www.icealaska.com

Airbrush

Airbrushing Artists’ Oil Colors

It’s amazing to think that Flemish painter Jan van Eyck likely perfected the use of oil paints circa the 15^th century, and that today in 2010 they can be used by artists in airbrush technique!

Oils are available primarily in tubes in a heavy-body state.  Obviously, you would be unable to spray this paint through the airbrush as-is, but oils can be thinned to a proper spraying consistency with reducers such as mineral spirits, turpentine and prepared painting mediums. (Da Vinci – www.DaVinciPaints.com)

Oil paints are compatible with a multitude of surfaces.  In easel painting, grounds include canvas and panels (Ampersand – www.ampersandart.com), and both should be gessoed before painting.  Of course you can work on paper surfaces such as illustration board, Bristol board and watercolor paper (Strathmore – www.strathmoreartist.com) as well as Mylar, acetate, metal, glass and ceramics.  Wood panels can be airbrushed with or without prior gesso application.

When changing from one color to another, the airbrush must be thoroughly cleaned.  Use either a professional spray gun and equipment cleaner or lacquer thinner.  Wipe paint from the color cup and then flush the airbrush by spraying cleaning agent into a solvent-proof plastic bucket or container. TIP:  To conveniently contain any cleaning agent spray, use Iwata-Medea’s Table-Top Cleaning Station - www.iwata-medea.com.) When clean, move on to the next color. 

At the end of the work day or at any time the paint tip appears to be clogging, flush out the airbrush; remove the needle and wipe it clean with solvent on a rag; then reassemble the airbrush, making sure the needle is inserted properly.  Spray cleaner through one last time and the airbrush should be free of clogs and ready for the next work period.

The main drawback in spraying artists’ oil colors is drying time. Because it may take several months for the paint to dry to a point where the surface can be touched, it precludes—in all reality—the use of stencils on the painted surface.  Therefore, paintings are likely completed freehand, where nothing but the paint touches the surface.

CAUTION:  Always remember that oil paints are toxic.  Good ventilation-such as a window exhaust fan or spray booth (Artograph — www.artograph.com) is absolutely essential as is a carbon filter respirator.  And DO NOT work near an open flame or intense heat because solvents are highly combustible.

Spraying artists’ oil colors may seem a bit daunting to some, but the look of airbrushed oil paints is quite dramatic and the result is well worth the effort.

ArtPourri

New Installation – Roxy Paine’s Graft, a stainless steel tree-like sculpture or “Dendroid,” was recently installed in the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.  The piece presents two fictive but distinct species of trees joined to the same trunk, one gnarled and twisting and the other smooth and rhythmic. www.nga.gov/collection/paineinfo.htm.

Grants Announced – The Creative Capital/Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant Program has announced the recipients of its 2009 grant cycle.  The program aims to strengthen the field as a whole and to ensure that critical writing remains a valued mode of engaging the visual arts.  A total of $710,000 has been awarded to 26 individual writers in five categories:  articles, blogs, books, new and alternative media and short-form writing.  Visit www.artswriters.org.

Auction News – Christie’s London auction of Old Masters and 19^th Century Art realized $112.4 million, the highest ever total for an auction of Old Masters.  A drawing by Raphael set a world record price for any work on paper sold at auction and a Rembrandt portrait set a world record price for the artist at auction.  Christie’s New York Important American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture sale achieved a total of $32.3 million.  Two new world auction records were set for American artists Guy Pene du Bois and John Joseph Boyle, and a second highest price was achieved by Andrew Wyeth’s Above the Narrows at $6.9 million.  At Sotheby’s London Old Master & British Paintings sale, $30.9 million was realized.  Self Portrait by Sir Anthony van Dyck set a new auction record for the artist by a considerable margin.

Biennial Artists Named — Fifty-five artists have been selected for 2010, the Whitney Biennial, which will take over the Museum from Feb. 25 through May 30.  Established and emerging artists from all over the country are included.  Visit http://www.whitney.org/Exhibitions/2010Biennial to view the list of artists.

New Director for Miami – The Miami Art Museum has named John Wetenhall as Interim Director.  He officially starts on Jan. 4 and will oversee the day-to-day operations of the museum and planning for its new Museum Park home.  Wetenhall previously served for eight years as executive director of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, FL.

NEA News — NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman has announced the first round of NEA FY2010 grants, which are the first grants awarded under his leadership.  The Arts Endowment will distribute a total $26,968,500 to support 1,207 projects nationwide through the categories Access to Artistic Excellence, Creative Writing Fellowships in Prose, and Challenge America:  Reaching Every Community Fast Track.  Also of note, the Indiana Arts Commission is the recipient of the 2009 National Accessibility Leadership Award/Grant for their outstanding accessibility work.  http://www.nea.gov/grants/recent/10grants/10AAE.php?CAT=Access&DIS=Artists%20Communities

Stamp News – The U.S. Postal Service will honor 100 years of the U.S. scouting movement.  The Celebrate Scouting stamp, which will be sold in the summer of 2010, coincides with the Boy Scouts of America’s 100^th anniversary.  The design, created by illustrator Craig Frazier of Mill Valley, CA, depicts the spirit and outdoor adventure of scouting through a backpacking scout and a large silhouette of a scout surveying the landscape.

Choose a Winner – Don’t forget to cast a vote for your favorite artwork in Strathmore Artist Papers’ “How Do You See Green” Illustration Contest.  Vote at www.strathmoreartist.com until January 31, 2010.

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 20 No. 3 — January 2010