Paper

Paper Cutting

Paper is a relatively new art material given that cave men first drew on stone walls in caves during the prehistoric era.  Paper was first created in the shape and size of the finished art or document need.  Even tiny scraps of paper were considered precious and every bit was used.  As time passed, a need to alter and customize the size or shape of paper became important.

Because of the wide range of paper fiber content, it is not always as simple as slicing into a “sheet” of paper.  Some early papers were created by overlapping layers of reed (papyrus).  Each of these sheets had irregular borders but was flat and somewhat foldable.  Stacked sheets were made from these reed papers, forming the first books.  Paper was obviously lighter than stone, making it more portable; and although it was perishable and did not last as stone did, the sheets grew in popularity until modern machinery and manufacturing made mass-produced papers readily available.

Cutting of paper through the ages has been accomplished in many different ways.  Some of the earliest surviving cut paper has been found in China, some as old as the 6^th century.  Only the very rich could enjoy the art of paper cutting, as the common man could not afford this luxury item.  Intricate paper decorations and ornaments have been part of Chinese history for many years longer than those proven to be 1500 years of age.  Tiny blades and scissors were used to cut designs in papers, and strips of paper were used to celebrate holidays in China as early as the Qing Dynasty.

Animals, figures and forms from nature were the subjects of the earliest Chinese paper cuts.  These were used to decorate the doors and windows of homes.  As time passed and as paper became more plentiful and affordable, the common person became interested in paper arts.  From cut and fold to intricate cutting, paper has been an artistic expressive material for centuries.

Today, papers of every design, texture and weight can be found at art material dealers and paper specialty shops.  There are papers especially made for origami and for quilling, special papers for book arts and card making and art papers for all types of applications.

Methods of cutting vary greatly.  You can hand cut and create with a huge range of special scissors.  These decorative scissors have blades that render shaped edges for your projects.  Guillotine paper cutters of the office variety or the newer rolling-blade cutters make it possible to cut large quantities of paper in a very short time.  But when it comes to intricate cuts, many creative artists use non-traditional devices such as tiny nail scissors and small scalpels to cleanly and quickly shape papers.

Surface decorations of cut paper can be accomplished with all types of topical additions.  Odd shapes can be glued on the cut edges and dipped in glitter or metallic powders.  Layers of various edge cut pieces can be stacked for depth and visual interest.  Super thick or textured papers can be combined with other surfaces to create every look from leather and wood to ceramic and glass.  Closures can be made with old fashioned sealing wax or other medallion finds.  All it takes is a bit of exploration in the paper/paper adornment section of any art materials store to find something that will pique your interest.

There is so much a creative mind can do with paper.  Challenge yourself to discover an option that is right for you—cards, wrappings, origami, book arts, collage, journaling, scrapbooking? The sky’s the limit!  Warning:  Once you begin to work with papers you will collect a mountain of raw materials.  Old magazines are loaded with fields of color and photo textures that can add just the right touch to your collage, card or book art.  Old calendars, gift wrap, specialty packaging, even grocery bags—any paper can become an art material and is easy to store, design and cut.

Art Exhibitions

Schedules sometimes change, so be sure to confirm art events and exhibitions.

A Century of Lithography – The San Diego Museum of Art, CA – A selection of approximately 20 prints documents the history of lithographic printmaking from the early 19^th until the early 20^th century, including examples by Whistler, Redon, Sargent and Belleroche.  This installation stands as a complement to the major concurrent exhibition dedicated to Toulouse-Lautrec.  Through Dec. 19.

The Warrior Emperor and China’s Terracotta Army – Royal Ontario Museum, Canada – Here’s a rare chance to experience the 2,200-year-old terracotta warriors up close, in addition to hundreds of artifacts from one of the greatest archaeological finds in history:  the burial site of China’s First Emperor.  Tickets:  www.warrioremperor.com. 416.586.8000. Through Jan. 2.

Manolo Valdes on Broadway – Broadway and various locations, Manhattan – (NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation) – Included are 16 bronze sculptures along Broadway from Columbus Circle to 166^th St.  Each sculpture includes signage that displays mobile phone access numbers for an English and Spanish language audio tour with informative descriptions of the works.  Through Jan. 23.

Art Materials

Tender Loving Care of Artists’ Brushes – I
Silver Brush Limited

Your fine artists’ brushes can last for many years.  Attention to care and cleanliness will extend the life of your fine Silver Brushes.  Quality natural hair brushes can easily be maintained in their original state, exclusive of normal wear.  Follow the same general instructions for synthetic hair.  You should be able to enjoy these brushes for a very long time.

All brushes will wear over time from abrasive surfaces and media.  The finest quality brushes last the longest because the hair, ferrule, epoxy and handles are made from quality materials and manufactured by experts.  Silver Brush gives you the consistent highest quality artist brushes.

Cleaning

—No brush should be allowed to rest on its tip for any length of time.

—Wipe the brush clean of paint with a paper towel before cleaning with the appropriate solvent.  After each use, rinse thoroughly in the appropriate solvent as soon as possible.

—When the work session is finished, wash and reshape brushes with soap (not detergent) or a commercial artists’ brush cleaner, using cool or lukewarm water.  Thoroughly lather the brush.  With your fingers or a toothbrush, work the lather into the brush from the joint of the ferrule and hair to the tip of the brush to remove all paint.

—Rinse the brush in cool or lukewarm water and repeat the process gently and as often as necessary to remove any residual color or resin.

Competitions & Opportunities

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards – Attention graduating seniors!  The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers partners with art institutes, colleges and universities to offer scholarships for scholastic award-winning artists and writers.  National award-winning seniors who earn gold medals or portfolio gold or silver medals qualify for scholarships designated by the Alliance Scholarship Partners.  To access regional guidelines and deadlines, visit www.artandwriting.org.  212-343-7613.

31^st Annual College Photography Contest - Photographer’s Forum Magazine – This contest is open to all high school and college students worldwide, and subject matter is open.  Prizes range from the First Place Grand Prize of $2,000 plus camera and equipment to five Fourth Place awards of $100 grants.  Winning photos will be published in the May 2011 issue of the magazine and entered into Nikon’s Emerging Photographers Hall of Fame.  Final entry deadline:  Nov. 22.  www.pfmagazine.com.

Holiday Art Creativity

A Quick Look at Creative Possibilities

The holidays give us many ways to use our creativity and the wide array of super art materials available today.  Without giving detailed instructions, the following will hit on just a few of the many ideas you might want to try this season:

Holiday greeting cards are fun to make and you can create them with a huge array of art materials.  Use Schmincke Artist Pastels with an overspray of fixative and you will be gifting a small original with every card you send.  Graphic Chemical’s inks and papers can be used with wax or wood block printing originals to generate a larger number of images for larger numbers of cards.  DaVinci watercolors, oils and acrylics make fast work of neat “pocket masterpieces” to be converted into greeting cards (or artist trading cards*).  Sketches made with General Pencil Co. watercolor pencils can be augmented with a bit of water to soften and mingle the tones.  All of the above can be created in sizes that fit into pre-cut photo window cards available at all art materials stores.  Rather than a photo – fill the window with a small original.  Major impressive!

Artool’s flexible, self-healing and non-slip Cutting Mats provide a safe surface for use with art and utility knives and rotary cutters when cutting papers or stencils; and they also provide a perfect surface on which to draw.  Artool’s low-tack Frisketfilm can be used on myriad surfaces—watercolor and drawing paper, illustration board, Claybord, photos, canvas, glass, plastic, metal and glazed ceramic surfaces—when stenciling or masking is required.

Both holiday cards and original gift wrap can begin with any appropriately sized paper onto which you apply decoration.  Once the designs are painted, stamped, sketched or splashed on, add line designs with General Pencil’s watercolor pencils, colored pencils or graphite leads for detail and interest.  Line designs can be used for definition of small areas on any watercolor/acrylic/oil on paper; you can even cut a larger painting into small originals and add a flourish of line work to complete the package.

Grumbacher Academy synthetic paint brushes are perfect for application of all types of paints from oil to acrylic and watercolor to gouache, even adhesives and glitters.  They range from lush rounds to precision flats and come in several bristle choices to cover any and all craft/art uses.

For gifts of a more substantial character, consider creating originals on Ampersand art panels, Scratchbord or Stampbord products.  Art panels accept a wide range of art materials (colored pencil, graphite, ink, acrylic, watercolor, oil, gouache, airbrush and alkyd).  Scratchbord comes ready to scribe with expert detail and Stampbord is perfect for stamp art.

Airbrushed items can be fun to create.  With the employment of Artool Freehand Airbrush Templates (in virtually any subject), anyone can be a master airbrush artist.  Medea Com-Art Airbrush Colors and Textile Colours by Jurek can be used on many surfaces, and when used in tandem with the aforementioned templates, can make quick work of totally unique gift items.  When teamed with either an Iwata Studio Series Compressor or Sparmax Air Compressor you are set to create a full spectrum of colorful items.  For edible art Silentaire’s Spectrum 2000 Color Changer is a boon to fast color changes in edible food coloring.  In a flash you switch colors (nine!) for finish work on cakes or sugar art.  Airbrush artwork painters can switch or blend colors just as fast, one – to another – to another.

Artograph's Open Studio versatile, mobile and durable furniture line is like an “assistant” that helps you by providing the perfect storage and more—with the Taboret, Art Cart, Large Paper Cart, Canvas Cart and Reference Table.

AMACO Rub ‘n Buff is great for accenting fine textures on items such as rough, painted wooden boxes or textured plaster shapes.  The natural texture on found items such as leaves and twigs can be dressed up with Rub ‘n Buff and then added to wreaths, garlands or mantel greenery or placed in a vase for fall/holiday accents.

When enlargement or tracing of holiday designs or artwork is needed, consider one from the selection of lightboxes/light tables or opaque projectors produced by Gagne, whose line includes stainless steel, solid oak and baked enamel.  There’s a Porta-Trace product for every artistic need—drawing and tracing, calligraphy and rubber stamping, stained glass, embossing, beading and more!!

For sculptors there are products of interest:  AMACO Wireform is a flexible wire mesh that can be manipulated into all sorts of shapes, painted, etc. Friendly Plastic comes in strips that can be warmed in hot water and formed into a huge range of neat items:  earrings, pins, ornaments, doodads.  AMACO Clays and Glazes are renowned for their quality and functionality.  Clay makes the perfect sculptural media, since it is so easy to transform into permanent art objects.

Visit your retailer for these fine lines of art and craft materials, tools and equipment and enjoy a creative holiday!

*Artist trading cards are catching on!  Artists create small works and exchange them with other artists.  Their collections will grow into a “mini museum” of one-of-a-kind artworks created with the express purpose of artist-to-artist exchange.  This trend is something in which all levels of expertise can participate.  Just imagine the variety and fun of that!

Art Events

Boston International Fine Art Show – Nov. 18-21 – The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for The Arts, MA.  New England’s premier show and sale of contemporary and traditional fine art will feature 40 outstanding galleries from the U.S. and Europe.  A Gala Preview will be held Nov. 18 to benefit the Boston Symphony Orchestra.  www.fineartboston.com; 617.363.0405.

Bayou Bend Family Day:  Our National Thanksgiving – Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, Houston, TX (Museum of Fine Arts) – Nov. 21 – 1-5 p.m. – Come to Bayou Bend to experience the traditions and customs of America’s Thanksgiving past.  Enjoy Native American dances and drums, visit the craft table to make a centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table, play games enjoyed by early American colonists or add your wish to the Thanksgiving collage.  Free admission.  www.mfah.org; 713.639.7750.

Annual Wreathing of the Lions—Family Festival – Art Institute Chicago, MI Ave. Entrance – Nov. 26 – 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Kick off the holiday season with the annual wreathing; then watch a performance of “Favorite Things” at 11:00 in Griffin Court; and visit a drop-in workshop to create a Welcome Home Wreath inspired by your favorite Institute treasures.  No registration required.  www.artic.edu.

Holiday Arts & Crafts Show:  American Holiday – Dec. 3–5 - The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH – A members preview will be held Dec. 3, with public days on Dec. 4-5.  Enjoy holiday shopping for visual arts and crafts, entertainment and great food at this popular show.  To accommodate this special event, all permanent and special exhibits will close Nov. 30 and reopen Dec. 14.  www.butlerart.com; 330.743.1107.

Stockbridge at Christmas:  A Special Holiday Celebration – Dec. 4 -  4-7 p.m. – Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA - Join in an evening of wonder and reflection, joy, and a renewed appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.  Experience creativity, tours, and heart-warming treats. Free with Museum admission; members and children 18 and under free.  www.nrm.org.

Airbrush

Preparation of Canvas for Airbrushing

Most airbrush artists prefer to work on the smoothest surface possible, and this holds true when artists work on canvas.  In selecting canvas for airbrush work, the most important consideration is texture.  Artists’ canvases are manufactured from linen, cotton, jute, and blends of natural and synthetic fiber.  Linen is superior in strength but does not have the consistency of texture that is important for airbrush work, while jute is unacceptable because of its coarse weave.  Cotton canvas and synthetics are generally used for airbrush technique and, of the two, cotton seems to be preferred.  Both of these have a continuous quality of surface, making them ideal to start with and easy to prepare.

Canvas must be primed before painting and the most common type of preparation is acrylic gesso.  This gesso is ready-to-use liquid ground that has a polymer emulsion base.  It can be used on any support as a primer.  If you wish, gesso can easily be tinted by mixing in a small amount of acrylic color.

Prime the canvas after it is stretched or mounted on a support.  Using a paintbrush to apply gesso will leave a somewhat streaked surface, with visible brushstrokes. A smoother surface can be obtained by spraying thinned gesso onto the canvas or by applying gesso with a paint pad.  Originally designed for household use, the paint pad will distribute gesso evenly in a fashion much like a window squeegee.  You can apply gesso while the canvas is either upright or flat on the floor.  Spread it in thin, even coats, working quickly and always applying in one direction.

Reapplying gesso and sanding between coats will result in an exceptionally smooth surface.   Allow sufficient time to dry between each coat and then sand with No. 400 grit sandpaper between applications.  (It’s imperative that the gesso be thoroughly dry before sanding.)  Be sure to dust off the sanded particles with a damp cloth between coats. Once the surface is to your liking, spray on a light coat of acrylic gloss medium.  The resultant canvas is ideal for using frisket film, tapes or self-adhering stencils.

Pre-primed canvas is available from your local art supplies store.  Here it’s suggested that you use portrait quality canvas, which comes with a smooth gesso coating.  If desired, you can apply additional coats, but sand between each that you apply, as stated previously.  In addition, Claybord from Ampersand—with an acid-free, kaolin clay ground on quality hardboard support—has a velvet-smooth finish that’s perfect for airbrushing.

Historically, the longevity of paintings on stretched canvas is far superior to that of rigid supports, and stretched canvas is easier to work on if restoration is ever required.  Another key advantage to working on canvas is that you can work very large without concern for seams.  See your retailer for the many choices available to artists.

ArtPourri

Laureates Named – The Japan Art Association has announced the recipients of the 22^nd Praemium Imperiale, the international prize for outstanding achievement in the arts.  Enrico Castellani (Italy) won for painting, Rebecca Horn (Germany) won for sculpture, and Toyo Ito (Japan) won for architecture.  Five awards of 15 million yen (approx. $169,000) each are given annually in fields that are not covered by Nobel Prizes.

Auction News – Phillips de Pury & Company’s London Contemporary Art Sales totaled $14.1 million.  World records were set for Aaron Young, Sterling Ruby, David Hockney and Dana Schutz.  – At Swann Galleries, Fernand Leger’s Cirque, the artist’s master graphic work containing 34 color lithographs and 29 B/W lithographs as well as 22 illustrations, 1950, sold for $28,800. – At Sotheby’s the sale of selected works from the distinguished Neuberger Berman and Lehman Brothers Corporate Art Collections brought $12.3 million, reaching the high estimate.  Seventeen auction records were set for artists.

Prize Winners Announced – More than 1,700 artists participated at 192 different venues in ArtPrize 2010.  Twenty-one countries and 44 states were represented.  A public vote determined the top ten winners.  Michigan artist Chris Laporte won the top prize of $250,000 for his pencil drawing Calvary, American Officers, 1921.

Milestone Reached – Artist Howard Brodie has died at age 94 in California.  A newspaper, magazine, television and combat artist, Brodie covered WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War and was awarded the Bronze Star for valor in WWII.

Artist Honored – Kara Walker, best known for iconic cut-paper silhouettes that address such highly charged themes as race, gender, sexuality and repression, was honored this month at the 8^th Annual Women in the Arts luncheon at the Brooklyn Museum.  She has participated in numerous national and international exhibitions and been the recipient of many awards.

NEA News – The National Endowment for the Arts recently celebrated its 45^th birthday.  On this occasion they offered a compendium of statistics, some of which follow:  Total dollar amount of NEA grants awarded to nonprofit organizations in 45-year history:  $4 billion; economic activity generated by the nonprofit arts sector each year:  $166 billion; most common full-time arts profession:  graphic designer; rank of education as a primary influence on arts participation:  #1.  www.nea.gov.

Stamp News – Decorating with evergreens during the winter holiday season is a popular and appealing tradition.  The Postal Service joins in the winter celebrations by issuing Holiday Evergreens, beautiful new stamps that feature close-up views of the foliage and cones of four different conifers:  ponderosa pine, eastern red cedar, blue spruce and balsam fir.  The artist, the late Ned Seidler, was a gifted painter of nature subjects who frequently used cuttings from his own yard when painting flora.

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 21, No. 1 — November 2010