Shown here are two reds used by contemporary artists. The color on the left is vermilion straight from the tube on the top, mixed with a little white on the bottom. The color on the right is a very modern pigment, cadmium red. As you can see, the vermilion has a slightly more subtle tone to it, whereas, the cadmium is very shockingly bright. To … [Read more...] about Modern vs. Historic
Historical Pigments
A Discriminating Palette
Greek painters, especially those from the 5th century BCE, were remarkably skilled and created many hundreds of vases and other paintings. The many varieties of surfaces include terracotta plaques, walls, ceilings, panels, wood, marble, ivory, leather, parchment, and ceramic slabs. They used some of the most beautiful natural and synthetic pigments … [Read more...] about A Discriminating Palette
The Wedding of Thetis and Peleus
About 470-460 BCE, the Wedding Painter painted this stunning vase. It measures 7 1/4" high by 5 1/4" wide. This one is actually quite small and many measured as much as 30" high or more. Many of the artists signed their pieces and historians can now identify the style characteristics of each artist. The Wedding of Thetis and Peleus, … [Read more...] about The Wedding of Thetis and Peleus
It’s All Greek
Quite unexpectedly and yet happily, a new pigment project has come my way. Some months ago, a client came to me with a request to paint a commission with the theme of 5th century BCE Greece. Specifically, he wants the focus to be black/red figure vase painting that was in its apogee at about 480-430 BCE. Again, I have delved head first … [Read more...] about It’s All Greek
Festival of Opet
Festival of Opet ©Margret E. Short, OPA, AWA 30x30 Oil on Linen Lessons from the Pharaoh's Tomb, Part Two Each year in Ancient Egypt, a magnificent event took place which was a most enduring spectacle called The Festival of Opet in Thebes the present day Luxor. The Pharaoh and his queen led a … [Read more...] about Festival of Opet
Gifts from the Nubians
Gifts from the Nubians ©Margret E. Short, 2011, OPA. AWA, 10x8 Oil on Panel Lessons from the Pharaoh's Tomb, Part Two Nubia, located just south of Egypt on the Nile River, is known as the Kingdom of Kush and the Land of Gold. Because Egypt had no gold, they were dependent upon the Nubians for this precious … [Read more...] about Gifts from the Nubians