Jean Siméon Chardin was born in 1699 and came to manhood a when the Rococo of Watteau, Fragonard, and Boucher was the style de jour. Rococo rivaled in decadent frivolity, depicting erotic nudity, romantic trysts, and carnality. The reality we associate with painting how we see in the manner of Velasques, Vermeer, and Chardin was […]
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According to the Zinc Zealots, all of the paintings of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood should have fallen off their supports long ago. Obviously that did not happen with the their painting and thousands upon thousands of other paintings done with Zinc White that hang in museums. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood used prepared canvases with layers of flake […]
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We are often asked the difference between Realist and Representational Art. The image to the left is, of course, a photograph. Photographs are what realist art is compared to. This illustration of an apple is an example of what one might find in a vintage seed catalog. It actually describes the apple in terms of […]
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Several types of white oil paint are available to the Painter. Lead based choices are Lead Carbonate, Lead Sulfate, Stacked Lead White, Flake White, Cremnitz White, Flemish White, Lead-based Foundation White. The non-lead whites are Flake White Replacement, Zinc White, Titanium White, Lithopane, Non-Lead Underpainting, or Foundation White and Transparent White. The three main workhorses on […]
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One should make it a point to know as much as possible about their craft. Many Painters are fascinated by the materials and techniques of the Old Masters. The methods or procedures used are far more relevant than the materials. The materials available today are far superior to those used in Renaissance and Barque periods. Some […]
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PROSPECTUS: Utrecht has been carefully handcrafting Utrecht Artists’ Oil Colors in its Brooklyn, New York, mill for more than 50 years. These fine oil colors are prized by professional artists around the world for their brilliant color, buttery texture, outstanding lightfastness, and excellent long-term performance. High pigment concentrations guarantee superior tinting strength and remarkable vibrancy […]
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PROSPECTUS: Dedicated to handmade integrity, Williamsburg Handmade Oils are crafted by skilled American artisans using top-quality pigments from around the world. Each of the more than 170 colors in the line possesses a unique consistency and texture — some are slightly gritty, while others are extremely smooth. This is what makes Williamsburg Handmade Oils so unique and […]
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PROSPECTUS:_Like the painter’s apprentice, Vasari still carefully handcraft their colours in small amounts and even fill every tube by hand. These traditional methods of paintmaking ensure the purity of colour and lush consistency, enabling Vasari to impart the secret of the Old Masters to the modern-day painter. Working with only the best oil and the […]
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Everything you ever wanted to know about oil painting grounds but were afraid to ask. What are the choices, which one is best and why, which is best for me? Tradition ‘Gesso’, also known ‘glue gesso’ or ‘Italian gesso’ is a traditional mix of an animal glue binder (usually rabbit skinned glue, chalk, and white pigment, […]
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PROSPECTUS:_IN 1887, GUSTAVE SENNELIER, A DEVOTED CHEMIST, ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS A PURVEYOR OF FINE-ARTISTS’ PAINTS AT 3 QUAI VOLTAIRE FACING THE LOUVRE AND STEPS AWAY FROM L’ECOLE DES BEAUX-ARTS. HAVING THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED THE HISTORY AND USAGE OF PIGMENTS, HE DEVELOPED A DISTINCTIVE PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING OIL COLOURS, FORMULATING PRECISE METHODS FOR MIXING TONES AND FOR […]
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