About.com Painting

New Blue Pigment!

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:38:08 +0000

Painters are all too familiar with the joys of "happy accidents". One in a science lab has created a new blue pigment, reports The New York Times. It echoes the discovery of Prussian blue as it's a by-product of what was being investigated:

"The researchers were trying to make compounds with novel electronic properties, mixing manganese oxide, which is black, with other chemicals and heating them to high temperatures ... one of the samples ... taken out of the furnace was blue.

Read full report on The New York Times... but don't expect to see it in a tube of paint unless a cheaper option is found for indium.

New Blue Pigment! originally appeared on About.com Painting on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 02:38:08.

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The Cockpit of Creation

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:25 +0000

"The artist's studio has been not just the cockpit of creation, but also can be the environment in which the artist locates and defines him or herself. It can be a detached sanctuary, or part of everyday life: an office, a shop, a retreat, or a home."

-- Dr Steven Parissien, Director of Compton Verney, in the foreword of The Artist's Studio
(Look inside the book...).

See Also:
• Exhibition Photos: The Artist's Studio
• Photos: What's on Your Easel?
• Photos: Inside Artist's Studios

^{Photo � Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc}

The Cockpit of Creation originally appeared on About.com Painting on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 00:00:25.

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Play With Your Food (Artistically)!

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:13 +0000

If I'd sketched it every time I had a mug of hot chocolate, by now I'd be able to get a perfect ellipse with my eyes closed. But as I haven't, I can't even with my eyes open. Maybe that could be one of my 2010 New Year's resolutions, because then I would have to keep drinking hot chocolate to keep practicing... plus a chocolate biscuit of some sort of course.

Okay, that's so not the idea behind The Doodles Diet (Buy Direct), which is a book of 40 paper placemats. Each of the pages features a specific food item, with a step-by-step outline of how you might doodle it in the blank area in the center instead of eating it.

It'll also make a great not-a-coloring-in-book for a little 'un, who'll be able to follow the how-to illustrations even if they can't read the words yet or just follow their own imagination.

• Gifts Ideas for Artists
• How Chocolate Can be Good For Your Painting

^{Photo � 2009 Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc}

Play With Your Food (Artistically)! originally appeared on About.com Painting on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 00:00:13.

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Is it Acrylic or Oil Paint?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:10:38 +0000

If it's an old painting that you've dusted off to rework, how can you tell if you painted it with oils or acrylics? That's the question Papaya is asking on the forum:

"So often I want to rework an older painting only to forget what medium I used, especially since I paint with both oils and acrylics. Is there a way to tell if it's either one without knowing what was used? If there is, I'd love to know. From now on, I'm going to label the back of the painting as to what medium I used especially since you can't paint acrylics over oils.

If you know of a way to tell for sure, share it on the forum... or leave a comment below.

Oil Painting FAQ:
• Using Oils Over Acrylics
• Why Has My Oil Painting Cracked?

Is it Acrylic or Oil Paint? originally appeared on About.com Painting on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 07:10:38.

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Painting Tip of the Week: Organization

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:24 +0000

Don't have only one container of water when painting, says New Zealand artist Diana Moore, have six or eight. Then you don't have to stop painting to get clean water.
• More productivity tips...

See Also:
• Top 100 Painting Tips
• Creativity Tips

^{Photo � M Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc}

Painting Tip of the Week: Organization originally appeared on About.com Painting on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 00:00:24.

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Make It Merry 3

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:55:02 +0000

Welcome to another edition of Make it Merry, where talented crafters share their holiday how-to's.

Advent Candy Tree
Everyone loves counting down to the holidays...add candy to the mix and you've got a fun Advent calendar from Sherri Osborn for the whole family to enjoy.

Pumpkin Cross Stitch Pattern
Use a variegated floss to make a swirling pumpkin that would look great near the Thanksgiving table. Connie G. Barwick has the free pattern.

Knit Wreath Ornament
Scrap knitting makes for fun quick projects that are perfect for any skill level. Sarah E. White has the instructions for this cute wreath.

Miniature Glitter Houses
Snowy villages look great upon every mantle and tabletop. Lesley Shepherd has a free printable so you can make your own tiny houses.

Paper Bead Star Ornament
If you're looking for something a little different to do with your paper beads then take a look at this paper bead star. This project is simple to adapt in a wide variety of ways.

Rustic Pillar Candles
'Tis the season for running out to buy candles. David Fisher will show you how to make these festive pillar candles with the perfect finish.

Pear Diamonds Painted Card
This card has an intricate finish, but it is so easy to make. Painting Forum Host Tina Jones shows us how to create this colorful card from start to finish.

Christmas Apron Pattern
Just because you've got to bake cookies for the whole family doesn't mean you can't look fabulous! Phyllis Dobbs has created this adorable holiday apron, and she's got the free pattern just for you.

Flower Petal Ornament Cover
Sometimes those plain ornaments just need a little dressing up. Tammy Powley will show you how to use seed beads to create this unique ornament drapery.

Paint a Christmas Tree
Instead of paying a premium for a colored tree, Barbara Crews will show us how to paint your tree red to match the latest holiday trends.

Want to Join Make it Merry to show off your holiday crafts? We will showcase your crafts and recipes of all holiday traditions. Learn more.

Make It Merry 3 originally appeared on About.com Painting on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 00:55:02.

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Not Lipstick...

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:22 +0000

...nor an oil pastel ... but a stick of oil paint.

This particular stick is an Oilbar from Winsor & Newton, and I was using it yesterday to create some monotypes (photo on my review). Other companies that produce oil sticks, aka pigment sticks, include Sennelier, R&F, and Shiva.

^{Photo � 2009 Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc}

Not Lipstick... originally appeared on About.com Painting on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 00:00:22.

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Pastel Painting DVD by Margaret Evans

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:49:13 +0000

Scottish pastel painter Margaret Evans isn't any relation (well, okay, probably, if you go back far enough up our family trees, but we're not on one another's Christmas-card lists), but I did go to an exhibition of her work at Talla Dearg Gallery on the Isle of Skye earlier this year, and I do occasionally drive through the Glencoe region of Scotland which is one of the locations featured in this DVD. So I was most interested to watch it to see how she creates her landscape pastels, which I find very atmospheric and beautiful. It didn't disappoint. Read my review here...

See Also:
• Basic Techniques for Pastels
• Pastel Painting Problem Solver

^{Image: � 2009 Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc}

Pastel Painting DVD by Margaret Evans originally appeared on About.com Painting on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 11:49:13.

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Monday Motivator: Planting Images on Paper

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:38 +0000

"I think of working on different sorts of paper like working on different soils in a garden. You plant images and watch them grow."

-- Australian printmaker GW Bot, profiled in The Printmaking Bible, p209.

^{Photo � Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc}

Monday Motivator: Planting Images on Paper originally appeared on About.com Painting on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 00:00:38.

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Art Trivia Question Time

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:05:35 +0000

What's the term used for making an art print without using ink? (And it's not "oops, I forgot"!)

• Clue: It's two words, the first begins with a B, the second with an E.

• Answer...

Art Trivia Question Time originally appeared on About.com Painting on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 00:05:35.

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