This is a yellow ochre just being wet with the oil. You can see the light area is still dry as the darker area has oil in it. It is important at this point to add the linseed oil slowly to the dry pigment to make a paste. By adding drops at a time and mixing it in prevents getting too much oil. Remember it is easier to add than take away. It is … [Read more...] about Oak-er Not Okra
Pigments: Historical and Modern
There is a distinct difference between modern day pigments and the natural pigments used prior to the middle of the 1700s. In the past, artists had apprentices who ground the colors for them throughout the oil painting sessions. Because they were made by hand, the pigments retained a natural grittiness and consistency with larger particle size. Today's oil paint manufacturers make synthetic colors in huge vats where the end result is exceptional smoothness. Prior to the middle of the 1700, natural pigments came from dirt, minerals, and even plants.
Studio Abandonment
Several weeks have passed since grinding enough colors to get a good start on this project. And, in spite of the holidays, I am now on painting #3. Painting #1 is based on a portrait by Franz Hals which is of interest because of the wonderful lace collar on the gentleman. It is a very mono-chromatic painting with bravura brush strokes, showing … [Read more...] about Studio Abandonment
Color Junkie
The past several weeks I have been busy with color making. Pictured here is genuine Vermilion, a color I could never do without. Because you know my style of painting, you know I favor the warm tones especially reds. This particular pigment has been used since antiquity and is made from natural cinnabar. It has been found in ancient China, … [Read more...] about Color Junkie
All for Beauty
As I have mentioned in previous posts, many pigments were really nasty and very poisonous. Two yellows, called orpiment and realgar, both made by alchemy, are extremely poisonous and for this reason have gone out of use. Other pigments were poor driers or not permanent and thus lost popularity. So the list narrowed, and it is now published … [Read more...] about All for Beauty
Sea Snail Masterpiece
Since embarking on this project, I have researched many publications with specific information about pigments and their history. Much is known today about pigments of the past because of scholars such as those in the Rembrandt Research Project (RRP). This committee set about to discover and determine which of Rembrandt's paintings were authentic … [Read more...] about Sea Snail Masterpiece
Dutch History
Many people have asked me about The Golden Age in 17th Century Netherlands. How did it happen? What is the history? In order to truly understand why artists and other craftsmen flourished during this period, it is important to view the previous one hundred years. The prosperous Northern provinces of 17th Century Netherlands became Protestant … [Read more...] about Dutch History