Page 3 - Paints
Painting is the application of colorants to a surface that creates an image, design, or decoration. In art, painting describes both the act and the result. Most painting is created with pigment in liquid form applied with a brush. In this section, get answers on how to make artists paint, select surfaces, and apply paint. We discuss different types of paint binders, such as oil, acrylic, encaustic, cold wax, watercolors, and tempera. You'll also find detailed discussions about pigments and additives used in artists's paint and how to choose them for your art.
Explore the use of pigments in Van Gogh's art, including his revolutionary techniques and the potential risks associated with his use of toxic materials. Discover the ways in which scientists have analyzed and studied the pigments used in his iconic paintings...
This article explores the sources and uses of cobalt metal, including its role in the creation of vibrant and durable pigments used in art, ceramics, and glass. The article also delves into the advantages and disadvantages of using cobalt pigments and the potential health risks associated with their use. Additionally, the article discusses the growing demand for cobalt in various industries, such as aerospace, electronics, and healthcare, and its crucial role in the production of electric vehicles and rechargeable batteries...
Yellow ocher, a natural earth pigment, has been used for centuries by artists to create beautiful artworks with warm and earthy tones. From ancient Egypt to modern times, it has been a favorite among painters, and its rich history and properties continue to fascinate people. In this article, we explore the origins and fascinating properties of yellow ocher, examine how artists have used it throughout history, and explore how it has evolved over time...
Venetian Red, the rich and vibrant red earth pigment that has captivated artists for centuries, evokes the grandeur and elegance of the Italian Renaissance. This iconic pigment has been used in some of the most famous oil paintings, frescoes, and watercolors of all time, and remains a favorite among artists today. In this article, we delve into the fascinating history and production of Venetian Red, exploring its unique properties and lasting legacy. From its origins in the hills of Italy, to its role in the art world, this is the story of a pigment that has left a lasting imprint on the world of art...
This article explores the history, source, chemical composition, properties, compatibility, permanence, and toxicity of the pigments Ultramarine Violet (PV 15) and Ultramarine Blue (PB 29) in painting...
Learn how to make your own gouache paint at home with this easy step-by-step guide. Mix pigments, gum arabic, and water to create your own opaque watercolors. Perfect for artists looking to experiment with new colors and consistency...
Malachite, a mineral of copper, is one of the most beautiful minerals known. In the natural state, this relatively soft mineral usually shows various tints of green, varying from dark, rich green to bright Kelly green. Since the earliest civilizations, it has been carved into art forms, semiprecious jewelry, or ground into a fine powder for use as an artist’s pigment...
One way Venetian artists developed color in their paintings was to apply multiple thin, translucent layers that blend color in luminous, vibrant ways. Lomazzo described it in his treatise as painting “transparently.” This method of color mixing, known today as glazing, relies on being able to paint translucently, smoothly, and thinly. Glazes rely on achieving transparency which is antithetical to the opacity or hiding power of pigments. Venetian artists’ innovative use of materials aloe them to create remarkable glazes that are more complex than previously supposed by art historians...
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). White reflects all the colors of the visible light spectrum to the eyes. But in a technical sense, white is not a color like black; it is a shade. Black and white augment colors. White is not simply white. Each different white oil paint has a hue bias, often called ‘temperature’ by artists. Each white oil paint also has other properties, such as hiding power or opacity and tinting strength and how it flows or behaves under the brush or palette knife, known as rheology. This guide to white oil paint for artists can help you select the right white for your painting...
Orpiment is a rich lemon or canary yellow with fair covering power and good chemical stability as a pigment. It is designated as brilliant yellow in Munsell notation 4.4Y 8.7/8.9. It is an arsenic sulfide mineral that occurs naturally in small deposits as a product of hydrothermal veins, hot spring deposits, and volcanic sublimation, although nowadays, it can be easily obtained artificially. The arsenic content makes it toxic, although it was also used in medicine, cosmetics, and as a biocide in ancient times...
Cinnabar has been mined and used as a precious resource by many cultures around the globe since at least the tenth millennium B.C. Cinnabar is also known as “vermilion.” The two terms are used interchangeably by both ancient authors and modern scholars because chemically, the two substances are the same, which is red mercuric sulfide (HgS). But “cinnabar” refers to the mineral, while “vermilion” is the synthetic pigment. Until the discovery of cadmium red in the early twentieth century, vermilion was the most widely used red pigment around the globe and the most vibrant red...
Lead white is the most important white pigment used in painting throughout history. It was known to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans and was commonly used in the preparation of ointments and plasters, as well as cosmetics. It was first identified in the literature as a pigment by Pliny, who mentions it, among other colors, as used by the ancients to paint ships...