Margret E. Short Fine Arts

Portland, Oregon artist Margret Short - a modern day master of 17th Century Dutch art using the chiaroscuro technique to create still life and floral paintings.

Margret's Blog

Oil Change

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As I said in the previous post, the Egyptian artists mixed pigment with egg or acacia sap which is also known a gum arabic.  Both are binders for a water based paint. Another binder for water based paint is acrylic or egg yolk or even sometimes the whole egg. Often egg is used as a binder in oil painting also. The equivalent to this in oil … [Read more...] about Oil Change

One More Done

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Painting #2 for the Lessons from the Pharaoh Part ll exhibit is now complete also, a small detail shown here. Because of the expense of malachite, and because there was a large enough pile of paint remaining, I used it again here in the vase of this second painting. It would be a terrible waste to let it dry up on my palette. Usually, if there … [Read more...] about One More Done

One Down, Many to Go

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This detail is from the first completed painting in the new Part ll project which shows both versions of malachite. Impasto paint was floated onto the surface of the jar in the focal areas. Across the table is a golden cloth which is used as a perfect foil for the bluish green of the jar setting it off nicely. According to Francois Delamare and … [Read more...] about One Down, Many to Go

Rublev and Zecchi Walked into a Bar….

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Rublev malachite, from Natural Pigments, is shown on the left.  Zecchi malachite scuro (dark), from Zecchi's Art Supply in Florence, Italy is on the right. Both dry pigments are ground in linseed oil. I have been hoarding the Zecchi color since I bought it in Florence in 2003. It is darker and richer than most other products and was invaluable in … [Read more...] about Rublev and Zecchi Walked into a Bar….

Lessons from the Pharaoh’s Tomb, Part Two

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Announcing Lessons from the Pharaoh's Tomb, Part Two  Galerie Gabrie, Pasadena, in March 2011. More intriguing myths, Gods, Goddesses, symbols, tombs, temples and stories from Ancient Egypt featuring pigments and new paintings. With only a few exceptions, all paintings in this new series will be created using pigments used by Egyptian … [Read more...] about Lessons from the Pharaoh’s Tomb, Part Two

The Pharaoh Returns

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Those of you who have traveled to Egypt or studied the culture perhaps experience a similar passion. My curiosity is insatiable since traveling down the River Nile and becoming familiar with this amazing vast span of history. One could research this historical period, say, 3500 BCE to Cleopatra's era at 35 BCE for a lifetime and still not … [Read more...] about The Pharaoh Returns