In Times of Desperation – Making Artist Oil Paints Dry Faster

Most artists (including myself) have been under the pressure of exhibition deadlines.  Oil painters, unlike acrylic medium artists, face the problem that work can take weeks to dry, which causes a dilemma if your deadline for delivery is in three days time, or even tomorrow.

If you know that you have a deadline to work to, certain decisions can be made prior to paint touching canvas.  However, once paint is applied to your support, you are relatively limited (but not helpless) in your options.  I will cover both situations below, though the simple advice is to plan before acting.

 

About Oil Paints – the curing process

Most painters think oil paints dry like acrylic paints.  They don’t, which is why techniques for forcing the drying of acrylic paints don’t work.  So, to start, we are going to have a little lesson on what goes on when an oil painting ‘dries’

 

Unlike acrylics (which dry primarily by evaporation of solvent), oils don’t dry – they cure by a chemical reaction.  This is why getting the hairdryer out (as so many people on the internet have attempted) has little effect, as opposed to on acrylics (though forced drying of any paint coating can create other problems).

 

So how do oils cure?  Basically by a process the same as plastics are made – smaller molecules (monomers) link together to form a larger molecule (a polymer).  In this case the monomers are fatty acids (such as linoleic acid) in oils such as linseed, and many other plant oils.  If this cross-linking (think of a strand of wire formed into a mesh fence) did not occur, our paintings would never cure or become ‘dry’ to the touch.

 

What causes this curing?  It is an auto-oxidative process which means oxygen molecules from the air react with the short monomers in the oils to crosslink them together.  The more accessible the oxygen molecules, the faster the drying – which is why thick impasto paintings, in which oxygen must permeate through the upper paint layers, can take a disproportionately long time to cure compared to thin layers.

 

Temperature generally affects the rate (speed) of any chemical reaction.  Hence, leaving your painting in your car during the heat of summer will cause it to dry noticeably faster than one in an unheated NY studio during winter.

Siccatives, and certain metal compounds (notably compounds transition metals such as cobalt, manganese or nickel) can be formulated to accelerate the curing process, acting as catalysts to speed up cross-linking.  This is one of the reasons why colours such as cobalt blue or manganese blue will dry much faster than others such as cadmium yellow.

 

Alkyds also use a curing process similar to oils but include different monomers which cross-link more quickly.  Unfortunately, while you can include alkyd mediums (such as Liquin®) to paint prior to application, you cannot do anything with alkyd mediums once the paint has been applied, other than wiping it off and starting again with alkyd materials.  Attempting to apply a coat of alkyd medium over your painting may actually make things worse – you may accelerate drying of a very thin surface layer which may then make it harder for oxygen to travel to the lower layers; you could end up giving a thin layer painting the same drying characteristics as a thick layer impasto painting, and could cause cracking due to different film layers drying at substantially different rates.

 

What to do if you have not yet applied paint to your support

Alkyd paints (such as manufactured by Winsor & Newton, which I favour if using alkyds) are generally touch dry by the next day.  This means that a dry to touch (but not fully cured – and certainly not cured sufficiently for varnishing) painting could theoretically be delivered by the afternoon of the next day if you work in thin layers.  Thicker applications might take 2-3 days.

 

If you work in a cold studio, assisting curing by placing in direct sunlight, or using a heater to maintain the temperature around 20-30°C (68-85F) would assist the curing process. 

 

Using alkyd mediums (e.g. Liquin®) can further accelerate drying (though see also comments below on ‘fat over lean’)

If you prefer to work with tradition oils, the use of alkyd mediums can significantly speed up curing.  Instead of a week, you might be able to achieve a curing time (to dry to touch) of 2-4 days, though some experimentation is required.  You might need a 50:50 ratio of paint to alkyd medium.  Fortunately as alkyd mediums are ‘mediums’, as opposed to solvents, you can use any ratio of paint to medium satisfactorily (though it is always best to visit the manufacturer’s website to check the recommendations for any medium).

 

Siccatives are typically drying agents, often based on the compounds of the transition metals mentioned above.  Manufacturers such as Pebeo/Fragonard produce such agents though some can be highly coloured and unsuitable for use with delicate pastel colours.  Modified poppy oils may contain siccatives, but usually only enough to give this slow drying oil the faster drying time of linseed oil, but not faster.  If you have not used siccatives before, experimenting with them with a critical work with impending deadline is not generally a good idea except in desperation – the use of alkyd mediums is a generally more foolproof method.

 

What to do if you’ve already painted your work with traditional oils?

 Here your choices are limited.  Unless you have a special recirculating oxygen tent with heatlamps (which introduces flammability issues), your options are few.

 

Heat and air circulation will help, as will light (there is some information suggesting that sunlight also helps accelerate the process).  Some plein-air painters have noted that leaving the painting on the back shelf of the car in summer has greatly accelerated curing.  In the studio you might have to improvise with a fan heater blowing with a gentle heat (lowest setting) on a work placed in direct sunlight.  It won’t work miracles, but could take 1-2 days off the curing time of traditional oils.

What if the traditional oil painting is dry to touch but you need to make some further additions or changes?  Depending on how ‘cured’ the lower layers are (dependent on time, temperature, and paint thickness) using either traditional oils with a suitable alkyd medium might be an option.  Many alkyd mediums are manufactured to be quite flexible, and may avoid cracking problems associated with applying a faster drying layer over a semi-cured lower layer.  However, I suggest you carefully read the recommendations of the manufacturers of such mediums.

 

A final alternative – go paint something else in alkyd oils, and save the uncured work for a future exhibition.  Also make a mental note to prepare better next time, or to commit to alkyd oils when time constraints are dire.

 

The ‘Fat over Lean’ rule

I hate ‘fat over lean’ as a saying.  It was fine in Renaissance times where you had limited choice of mediums, but is meaningless in todays world of alkyd mediums and paints, siccatives, etc.

While I prefer ‘slow over fast’ as a general rule of thumb (i.e. top layers should dry slower than lower layers), this rule needs to be modified when we are using fast or accelerated drying techniques.  The preferred rule is ‘flexible over less flexible’.

 

Fortunately many alkyd mediums intended to be added to paints are quite flexible, which means they are less likely to crack if a faster curing alkyd coat is applied over a slower curing coat (which is why they are often used in glazing coats).  Winsor & Newton specify that their alkyd mediums act like oil in the 'fat over lean' rule (see link below) and thus even fast drying Liquin modified layers can be applied over 'leaner' layers.  HOWEVER, there is always a risk when pushing the boundaries and while you might get away with this when you are in a desperate situation, it is still not good practice to paint faster curing materials over slower curing coats unless that slower coat is substantially cured, or you have verified by technique by experimentation with the particular paints and techniques you use. 

 

Remember that this article is talking about what to do in exceptional circumstances, and where chances and shortcuts might be warranted.  It is recommended that you read the data sheets published by the manufacturers of any additives or mediums (Winsor & Newton is especially good at this, and has many plain English articles on the practical side of their use) prior to using them.  I also suggest that you experiment with different mediums and techniques when time permits, so you are already familiar with your options when a situation arises.  Remember that most so-called traditional artists were as much scientists as painters, continually experimenting with paint media (most hand made their paints) and techniques so they were familiar with what worked well, or didn’t work satisfactorily in different situations.

 

As painting with oils is as much an art (pardon the pun) as a science, I cannot guarantee that the recommendations herein will necessarily work for you.  You must use them at your own risk, determining yourself whether the end justifies the risk.

 

http://www.winsornewton.com/resource-centre/product-articles/article-drying-times-for-oil-paint/

http://www.winsornewton.com/resource-centre/hints-tips-and-techniques/oil-colour/mediums/#fat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drying_oil

Telling the Story behind the Picture - don't leave your market in the wilderness

 

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As artists it is easy for us to forget our progress, and forget that we see things differently to the average member of the public.  Like many professions sliding into elitism is easy, to the extent that only academics and colleagues can understand our works.  If your market is the public, such elitism is the equivalent of the proverbial "lawyers jargon" - it places your work out of reach of your market, and is a telltale sign that you've failed to understand your buyers.

How many of you have stopped to observe members of the public at a contemporary art exhibition?  Have you seen them scratching their head, or just walking past exhibits they don't understand.  How many times have you heard people describe works they don't understand as a "piece of junk"?

Can you blame the public for what is a natural reaction to what they "just don't get"?  Can you blame them if they don't appreciate the complexities of the issues and stories behind your work?  Actually no.  You've just created the equivalent of a television advertising campaign which nobody understands, and misses its mark.

"Oh, but its intention is to provoke thought" is what I often hear.  My response is that this is a "cop out" - if you are trying to appeal to, and often sell to, a particular audience then throwing them in at the deep end does not help.  It is like introducing advanced calculus to junior level primary school children - it goes over their head if they don't have some reference point to help them make sense of it.  Yes, you can still provoke thought, but a little guidance is necessary - without some description of the relevance of the work, the only thought you are likely to provoke is "it's a piece of rubbish".

Recently I submitted a surrealist self-portrait to the Gamut exhibition at Artspost in Hamilton.  This picture was loaded with surrealist symbolism, which only an ardent student of early women surrealists would be likely to identify.  As I didn't want people just thinking "Nice painting" (or otherwise) I created a second companion piece, which explained the story behind the work and identified the symbolism.  This was installed adjacent the primary piece.  My observation on opening night was that most people spent more time looking at my work - they read the explanation, and I could see them loooking back and forth between the works to identify each piece of symbolism as they read about it.  I'd created both an interactive story and treasure hunt.

As the artist, how do I feel about this? I feel a sense of accomplishment for several reasons:

  • People interpret my work as I intend it to be;
  • I am likely to provoke further thought, as explaining the symbolism gives a reference point for further thought;
  • I have empowered people, because they now understand at least one work in the exhibition;
  • I have educated people, because they now know more about surrealism and symbolism;
  • I have achieved more than just hanging the work on the wall alone would have achieved - I've added an additional level to public interaction (they've now thought about the story behind the painting rather than just thinking "nice picture").  Essentially I've added value to the work.

At the end of the day, selling art includes educating the public to create a larger buying market.  Can we blame the public for buying the safer choice of "décor art" if we've failed to educate them on how to appreciate art, and placed ourselves on a pedestal beyond their understanding?

I'll also leave you with this snippet of knowledge for consideration.  From my own experience, and talking with gallery owners and art purchasers, I appreciate that many people want their art to be conversation pieces for which they can tell a story to friends.  When people know the story behind an artist or work, an attachment or bond is formed (the difference between a stranger in the street, and someone whom you have met) and they are more likely to purchase.  I have several Gary Tricker prints from around 10 years ago, purchased on holiday.  They are quirky and delightful, but the buying decision for me was the gallery owner telling me about Gary, his life and background, why he selected the subject matter he did, and even knowing the names of the cats which appear in most of his prints.  By this stage I wasn't buying a stranger's works - I was buying prints from a friend I'd yet to meet, with a story to tell everyone who sees the works. 

And that closed the sale.

 

The Makings of a 'Great' Exhibition

Sarah

What makes an exhibition memorable?  Is it the quality of the artwork? Is it the content?  Is it because of things that are abhorrently wrong?  Like any artist seeking to improve their chances of sale, I take note of what others do.  It is always a pleasure when I see the result of planning, care, and ‘going the extra yard’ create something memorable that enhances, rather than detracts from, the artwork.

One of my character traits is that I always like to observe and learn.  I stop, look, ask questions, and analyse.  I review, reflect, and consider how many ways what I have seen can be applied to my art in different ways.  I am content that artists of note continually strive to improve their processes, though I am dismayed that quite a few modern artists seem to think the creative process stops the minute they sign their name.  What they do not realise is that this is noticed by galleries, art judges, and the public.  Conversely, it is also noticed and appreciated when someone does some exceptionally well, even if it is a feeling of security by the viewing public that nothing is wrong.

Recently, when submitting my solo piece for a joint exhibition, I had an opportunity to not only speak to the technicians responsible for installing an exhibition, but also to be introduced to Sarah Mitchell Munro who was installing her “Through the Window” exhibition at Artspost, Hamilton.  As she was busy I left her to the daunting task of organising everything, though did notice her ‘hands on’ approach to the affair, and attention to detail – hallmarks of someone who does not leave things to chance.  I was therefore curious to see the exhibit after installation was complete.

Arriving early, I had an opportunity to preview the exhibit without the crowds.  While I have not attended as many exhibitions as some, I was able to both see and appreciate the results of Sarah’s attention.  For me it stood out, and above, the other exhibitions I have attended and has become my current personal benchmark for a ‘great’ rather than ‘good’ exhibition. 

If I were to attempt to quantify those qualities that made the exhibition stand out for me they were:

  • exhibiting pieces of more than one size; as there was a large room to fill, having pieces all the same size could have made the whole exhibit look like an unimaginative museum exhibit (reminiscent of school trips to the museum).  Breaking it up into more than one size lifted the exhibition and gave it more life;
  • The artwork was limited to two sizes; this worked extremely well in unifying the theme and commonality of the works.  A wide disjointed array of sizes would have detracted from the common theme of her exhibition (though could be used to effect in another exhibition);
  • the proportionality of sizes; the smaller works of around 40 x 50cm were interspersed between very large pieces of around 120x 180cm.  This accentuated the difference in sizes, and added significant impact to the large pieces (the artistic equivalent of an exclamation mark!).
  • the large pieces had a commonality of style and theme to tie them together, which has slightly different to the smaller pieces;
  • the large pieces were strategically placed for maximum impact as you entered the gallery chamber from either of the two entrances
  • the large pieces were separated by smaller pieces, which almost divided the exhibit into a number of logical ‘chapters’ - were it to be likened to a book;
  • The pieces were organised to follow a sequence of events as one travelled clockwise from the beginning.  This added another level of dimensionality to the exhibition – it became a story rather than a collection of paintings;
  • Each piece was expertly finished (unframed and the edges of the canvas stretched over the frame were impeccably finished, and uniform in white);
  • Sarah hands on approach has ensured all here works were positioned and grouped superbly on the wall – the highest compliment was that nothing noticeably wrong, something which is often hard to achieve.

In my eyes, Sarah has invested the time to ensure her work is presented immaculately and to show it in the best light and at the highest value.  She has, like the entire marketing profession, realised that the job is not over when the last brush-stroke is applied to a painting or stitch applied to a garment.   She also obviously realises that your work is not going to sell, nor attain its full value, if presented poorly.  In addition, while Sarah will not be the only artist who realises all of this, it is worthwhile visiting Sarah’s exhibition – even if not for her amazing artwork, but to see what should be the minimal standard for an exhibition by anyone.

I would like to thank Sarah for allowing me to write this blog.  And as I write this I am reminded of standing next to one Auckland gallery owner, both of us shaking our heads at a piece of artwork dropped off for sale – paint from the front slopping around the edges of the edges of the canvas (which were supposed to be white, but they hadn’t bothered to touch up), and on a frame which was as straight as a dog’s hind leg – the antithesis of the attention to detail, and quality control, that every professional artist should strive to continually achieve.

Sarah’s website: http://sarahmitchellmunro.com

Through The Window: http://www.waikatomuseum.co.nz/page/pageid/2145861571

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glassine - indispensible yet why have most artists not heard of it?

Glassine_paper

Glassine is a smooth translucent paper, without tooth, which is air, grease, and water resistant.  It is the best paper for protecting delicate artworks, especially pastels and charcoal sketches.

Recently I decided to store away some rough pencil and pastel test sketches for future reference.  Going to the local art store I was surprised to find that not only did they not stock glassine paper, all but one of the staff had not heard of it.  Ringing around some other artist friends to see if I could borrow some glassine in the meantime, I was surprised that none had heard of it.  When asked what they used to interleave between sensitive drawings, most replied tissue – this surprised me because tissue paper generally has a tooth which can seriously damage delicate surfaces such as on pastel and charcoal sketches if any rubbing occurs (which it will).

So what is glassine, and why do you need it?  Glassine is a very smooth special type of paper.  Art quality glassine is pH neutral (i.e. acid free) and supercalendered i.e. it goes through a rolling process during manufacture several times to make it extremely smooth.  Consequently it does not have a tooth which can abrade delicate drawings.  Further, it is generally non-static, and it is for these reasons that glassine envelopes are extensively used in the photographic industry to protect negatives – the emulsion side of negatives are gelatine based and very sensitive to moisture, scratching, and dust. 

Glassine is resistant to moisture and grease, so theoretically could be used over the top of not-yet-dry oil paintings should you have to transport them and are worried about the surface touching things.

Glassine is used in book repair.  Stamp collectors have glassine sheets over the pages with their stamps to protect the surface against rubbing.  Glassine is used by museums in the form of envelopes for storing butterfly specimens.  Sometimes it is used to wrap meat and delicatessen foods.  Lastly, it is used for protecting delicate drawings and paintings.

There really is no substitute for glassine for protecting the surface of artwork during transit or storage.  You  should cover the surface of the artwork with glassine prior to wrapping in any other protective packaging. Remember that tissue paper is not a substitute for glassine.

Where do you find it and is it expensive?  I quickly located some at an art shop in a main centre – in this case Takapuna Art Supplies, who also supply online.  I note that fine art stores specialising in paper also stock it.   Most good purveyors of art materials should stock it, though you may also be able to source it through packaging specialists.

As for expense, a large sheet of approximately A0 size was less than $3.  At this price, it is a cheap and wise investment.  I now keep my own stock, as I never know when I might want to store artwork rather than frame it – my last use was when I had to bond a piece of artwork on canvas to a hardboard substrate.  As I had to apply gentle pressure while the bond cured, glassine was used to protect the surface of the artwork while a smooth board and weights were placed over the glassine.   For the innovative artist, you will soon find a myriad of uses for glassine, and wonder how you ever got along without it.

Antonia Luz Ines

 

 

Painting pictures using photos from books - How dangerous is that!

Mona_lisa_small_copyright

Many artists use photos from books as their reference.  While studying elements of photos and illustrations to assist composing an original composition is generally fine, reproducing significant portions of an illustration can be copyright infringement.

As both a patent attorney and artist, I occasionally see practices which I consider to be highly dubious.  The most commonly recurring bad practice is to reproduce, in paint or other media, the subject matter from a photo in a book and to then go and sell your resulting work.  This is a very bad practice for a number of reasons:

  • from the viewpoint of artistic integrity, your work can hardly be called original if you are copying someone else’s composition and work;
  • you may be copying a work in which copyright is still current, or from a source where copyright exists.  Reproducing that image in another media is still copyright infringement;
  • by selling your work, without a disclaimer that you have stolen and reproduced someone else’s work (sounds more serious when we word it like that, doesn’t it), you are misrepresenting the nature of the work being sold and could be prosecuted under the Fair Trading Act (NZ and some other countries);
  • the person who purchases your work, and the gallery which displays them, may also be subject to legal action for copyright infringement (think of them as being participants in the fencing and acquisition of stolen goods if it helps).

So yes, copying someone else’s work is serious stuff.  It is basically theft, and there are potential consequences if you are caught.

But, isn’t it established law that you only have to change something 5%/10% to avoid copyright issues?  Sorry, but that is a big resounding NO!  Like every other patent attorney, I wish I could get my hands on the idiot who started that urban legend.  Try arguing that before a judge and get an instant reality check in response.

Over the last decade there have been some substantial changes to copyright law – mainly tightening up copyright owner’s enforceable rights, and moral rights.  What are moral rights?  Simply think of this in terms such as where someone took a portrait you painted of your grandmother, and then reproduced it with her wearing leather and chains, and having a moustache. You are likely not going to be pleased if you started seeing this around.  In a more subtler form, moral rights issues may arise from inappropriate use of your copyright works (would you like to see it on the flyer of the local strip joint) or modified in such a way that you consider your original work to be denigrated.  While this is an extremely simplistic explanation, the purpose is to demonstrate that trying to change your reproduction of an original copyright work to avoid infringement, may not fully address other issues.

So what can you do, or not do.  Copying other persons’ works for the purpose of learning is a long tradition in the art world.  It is often how artists learn and perfect skills.  Even I have used inspiring movies as a reference for drawing exercises.  However there is a significant difference between educational private use, and commercial use (e.g. selling your reproduction).  While there are provisions in the NZ Copyright Act for private and educational use, the practical reality is that most copyright owners, in most cases, are not going to pursue you for such private exercises even if you do fall outside of specific exceptions under the Copyright Act.  However, cross the line to commercial use and see how quickly things can change.

What can you copy?  Depending on the nature of the work, copyright in most artistic works may last 50 to 75 years after the death of the author (i.e. creator of the work) though this can vary from country to country.  Even if you are copying a renaissance artwork, be careful that you are not copying a reproduction of that work from a book in which copyright exists.  For instance, you might use a picture from a book published last year.  What you may not know is that the picture in the book could be a copyright work based on a recent photograph of the original work, where significant skill in setting up the lighting was exercised, and which has been extensively worked in the darkroom or Photoshop to produce the image in the book – there may well be copyright in the book image.  Consequently there may be hidden dangers of copyright.

Are there a general set of rules you can apply?  While every case needs to be considered on its own merits, there are some general rules the sensible artist can apply:

  • it is not good practice to copy someone else’s work, or a photo in a book, if you intend to sell your work;
  • studying elements of composition in a photo (in a book) and using this knowledge in the creation of your own original work is generally fine;
  • studying detail in a photo (e.g. feathers on a bird, the crest of a wave, etc.) to assist you in the creation of your own original work is generally fine;
  • as soon as you start to capture the essence of someone else’s work, or incorporate features which can almost be considered key to their work, you are on dangerous ground;
  • if you, without reference to someone else’s work, create a work which is very visually similar to someone else’s work then you most likely have not infringed copyright - imagine if your art teacher brings a parrot to class and has the class of 15 students paint the parrot – you are likely to have 15 versions of a parrot, where many will be very different and some will be very close in character.  Unless you were copying the picture of the person in front of you, each of those 15 renditions will be original works.
  • For copyright infringement, there has to be an act of copying.  As soon as you use anyone else’s original work as a reference, you are starting to get into potentially dangerous territory;
  • The publishers of most books are expert in copyright law and fiercely defend their copyright works.  Read the copyright warning page in any book and, after looking at how long and explicit most warnings are, ask yourself if this is the sort of business which will take any perceived breach of their copyright lying down.

What artists and students need to realise is that copying someone else’s work for commercial gain, even if it is a photo in a book, is not only bad artistic form but essentially is theft.  Also please realise that the 5% change rule is an urban legend (recently a friend, who is a lecturer, tried to get this point across to his class.  A number fiercely argued against his viewpoint, until he played the trump card that his personal patent attorney (me) had advised him).

At the end of the day, consider how you (as an artist) would feel if someone else was copying your work and making money from it.  This viewpoint often puts things into better perspective.

For more information see: http://www.iprima.biz/#/unregistered-rights/4518027779

 

  

Framing - Is your artwork just a juicy steak on a trash can lid?

Monalisa

The correct frame can make or break a piece of artwork.  Why then do I so frequently see beautiful pieces of artwork in badly matched frames, sometimes to the extent that the artwork looks like something cheap picked up  from the local op-shop.  Bad framing makes works hard to sell and devalues asking prices, while good framing can significantly enhance both the saleability and asking price of a work.

As an emerging artist I often visit galleries to assess what is selling, and to appreciate the skill and technique of other artists.  What surprises me is how often I see masterful works degraded by a poor choice of frame.  In some of these cases the artwork would actually look better if packaged in shrinkwrap – the selected frames are doing neither the artwork, nor the artist, any favours.

As an artist I am also aware of the economics of the process of producing a work for sale – expensive frames potentially eat into how much you can earn: profit = price paid – commisions – cost of materials.  This is a prime, but not sole motivation, for poor frame selection by some artists.  However this is very short sighted, as we shall discuss.

A quick lesson in history.  Before the beginning of the 20th century, most painted works were framed.  This was partly due to what was expected and fashionable, but more so because works in this period demanded a frame to enhance the work.  Artists realised that the frame was an integral part of the work, and many well-known artists would spend considerable time selecting the correct frame for the work.  Often the frame would cost more than the artwork itself (not surprising since many frames were ornately hand-carved and covered in hand applied gold leaf) – however the cost was justified as it was considered that the frame was part of the overall work – not just a whimsical accessory so you could hang the work on a wall.

I have a friend who used to work for the museums in Paris, overseeing the restoration and conservation of frames on artworks.  She indicated that some of the frames can cost in the order of five figures, but that the wrong frame could literally ‘destroy’ the aesthetic merits of a masterpiece.  It was not out of the question for frames to cost more than newer up-and-coming masterpieces purchased by museums.  Can you imagine the Mona Lisa in a ready-made white frame?

So do we need to spend in the order of thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to get the right frame?  Fortunately no.  Manufacturing techniques have improved and there are a large number of mouldings available which are machine made, rather than hand-made.  Hence an exceptional quality frame can often be custom made (for a 16” x 20” work) for around the $2-300 price mark.

Is this a good investment?  Research of opinions on the internet suggest that in many cases it is.  One story by a US framer told of their convincing a well known artist to let them select his next frame.  Convinced, and paying more than he was accustomed to, the experiment quickly paid off.  He soon found that appropriately framed pieces of his work not only sold almost twice as quickly, but for almost double the price.  Another told of a steady trade in reframing the purchased works of a well-known local artist – few of the purchasers liked the artist’s choice of frames.

Does every piece justify a custom frame?  Not always.  Certain works can lend themselves quite well to ready made frames – many artists who draw or produce watercolours find this a good option.  However, the important rule is – “One size does not fit all, and a frame ideally needs to be individually matched to the artwork”

Recently I have produced an artwork, best described (by a friend and art tutor) as a quirky modern interpretation of Rennaissance and Pre-Raphaelite styles.  Accordingly, no ready made frame was going to do it justice.  Intrigued with the process of frame matching (and fully cognisant of how bad frames devalue a work and can make it unsaleable) I visited several local framers.  One in particular was recommended to me as being highly skilled and experienced.  I called in with the artwork, and decided to step back initially and watch her at work.  From  this I noted several aspects that I believe one should expect to see in an experienced framer:

-                     they placed the artwork against a blank neutral background so we were not distracted by environmental elements in the workshop;

-                     they studied the artwork to get the feel of it, and to look for elements which might suggest a frame type;

-                     they will try different frames, and frame combinations (and also matt board combinations where appropriate) – even if their first choice is best, they will still consider and investigate other possibilities;

-                     they will consult with you, the artist, as to whether you consider particular options uphold the spirit and character of the artwork;

In the end I became involved in the process and, seeing where we were heading, chose a frame sample off the wall.  As soon as I placed it on the work, we just looked at each other and knew it was the right choice.  How?  Because the artwork suddenly sprang to life – the already vibrant colours became even more vibrant and three dimensional; the spirit and feel of the work was enhanced.  Suddenly I saw  the transformation of an unframed work which might normally be sold in a gallery in the high hundreds, to not being out of place in a fine art gallery where the asking price might be two to three times higher.

At that point I became convinced of the value of the correct frame.  It can bring a work to life, or destroy it by appearing as a lifeless unfinished piece.

Are there any tips I’ve learned?:

-                     find a good experienced framer whose skill and judgement you trust, and establish a relationship;

-                     consider the frame as a vital integral element of the artwork, not just something you rush past in order to start the next work;

-                     white does not suit everything.  The worst examples I’ve seen of framing has been with white frames, presumably because some artists think that as gallery walls are often white to enhance pieces of artwork, this also applies to the frame – not so!

 

And to finish with a memory from the Bill Cosby show, who loved telling stories to reinforce lessons –

Bill, talking to one of the characters in the show:

“Imagine a steak, a big juicy steak cooked to perfection.  Sizzling and smelling asolutely wonderful”

“Mmmmm”

“Surrounded by potatoes, and your favourite vegetables.  So delicious you can just taste it”

“Mmmmm”

“Now imagine it all set out on a garbage can lid”

“Eeeewwww”

While my recollection of the conversation may not be perfect, the question remains – Is your framed artwork just a piece of juicy steak on a trash can lid?

Everything the Artist Needs to Know About Lighting in the Studio or Gallery - Types of Lighting (Part 3 of 5)

250px-jacobs_ladder_hm

The type of lamp or bulb you choose has a significant bearing on the quantity and quality of light you can obtain.  A range of options are available to improve existing lighting.  Desk lamps are cheap enough that you can have several types of lighting available, and avoid the need for an electrician to wire in fixed fittings.

For the average artist, a good lighting arrangement can be easily achieved.  An adjustable desk, clamp, or floor standing lamp fixture which can direct light onto your work is a cheap investment (if you shop around).  Fitting these with a 100Watt daylight corrected incandescent bulb means you’ll have accurate colour rendition for proofing, and a colour temperature similar to around 2 hours before midday.

The same arrangement can be used for lighting your subject matter (if it is small), though for lighting larger subjects you’ll need to ideally invest in photographic lighting systems.  These systems are beyond the scope of this article, though well covered in many photographic websites.

Like me, it is anticipated that the average reader of this article will wander down to the nearest lighting shop for cheaper alternatives.  Unfortunately not all bulbs are created equal, and neither is the knowledge of most employees.  Accordingly I hope to give you a guide to what you should and should not use, (or so you can outshine one of those assistants who claim to know everything but actually know very little).

 

Best cheap upgrades to existing lighting in a studio or gallery:

 

-         replace incandescent (old style) bulbs with daylight corrected incandescents;

-         replace compact fluorescents (energy savers) with daylight corrected incandescents if colour reproduction is important;

-         replace old fluorescent tubes with newer triphosphor tubes with an 8xx or 9xx rating (see below);

-         buy a desk/floor/clamp light for directing onto your work and install a daylight corrected incandescent.

-         Replace incandescent reflector bulbs in spotlights with xenon-halogen bulbs (where UV is a problem either use xenon, or a halogen bulb with a built in UV filter);

-         Believe what’s written on the box, over what the salesperson says.

 

 

Lighting Types & Characteristics

 

Daylight incandescent       

   Lighting your work

   Lighting subject

   General area lighting

Pros/Cons                           

   Cheap, very good colour rendition

   Good colour temperature

 

Normal incandescent

   Lighting your work 

   Lighting subject                  

   General area lighting

Pros/Cons                           

   Cheap, very good colour rendition

   but poor colour temperature

 

Halogen

   Lighting your work 

   Lighting subject                  

   General area lighting

Pros/Cons                           

   Cheap, excellent colour rendition

   but low colour temperature

                                            

Xenon-Halogen

   Lighting your work 

   Lighting subject                  

   General area lighting

Pros/Cons                           

   Cheap, excellent colour rendition

   but low colour temperature

 

Compact Fluorescents (energy savers)

   General area lighting

Pros/Cons                           

   Cheap to buy and run

   Poor colour rendition except

      full spectrum models

   range of colour temperature

 

Fluorescent tubes

   General area lighting

   Lighting subject

Pros/Cons                           

   Relatively Cheap if you have fittings

   use 8 or 9 series models (see below)

   choice of colour temperatures

   older unrated tubes should be upgraded

      (unrated - i.e. no 8xx or 9xx specification on tube)

 

Xenon Flood/discharge

   Lighting subject

Pros/Cons                           

   expensive specialist product

   Excellent colour temp & rendition

   often used for photographic work

   use where good lighting critical

 

There are two main types of lighting in a studio – work (task) lighting and general area lighting.  If you are fortunate you will have both, and should try and reach this ideal as soon as possible.   General area lighting stops you bumping into things, and being able to find where you put your paint brush.   Colour reproduction may be not so important, but upgrading your bulbs to give better colour reproduction is a good investment – often you will want to inspect things other than on your working area.

Task lighting is localised and should be able to be directed onto your work area, as well as any proofing and review area.  You will need to decide what suits your work habits – localised lighting may be as simple as buying a desk lamp or clamp light fitted with the appropriate bulb/lamp. 

Fluorescent tubes provide good even lighting over a large area.  Some tubes give very good colour reproduction – providing you know what you are looking for.  Upgrading existing fluorescent tubes can be a cheap upgrade for even lighting, at a colour temperature of your choice, and with good colour rendition (reproduction).

 

luorescent tubes use phosphors (the white stuff on the inside of the tube) to produce light.  Fluorescent phosphors (less so at the budget end) are often formulated to give good colour reproduction – this is due to demands in retail.  Most good quality daylight or warm tubes will give a full spectrum light allowing for good colour reproduction.

So which tubes do you need?  Ideally you will want to specify 835, 840, 930 or 965 fluorescent tubes.  The last two digits represent the colour temperature in Kelvin (e.g. 35 means 3500K) which gives you a great choice of colour temperature. 

The first number represents the accuracy of colour reproduction/rendition (and in some ways reflects the colour spectrum of the light source – see earlier article).  An 8 series tube gives very good colour reproduction, while a 9 series tube gives excellent colour reproduction (and is typically used in photographic light boxes).  10 is the theoretical maximum under the current scale and currently is only achieved by full spectrum filament lamps such as the traditional incandescent lamp, and many low voltage halogen and xenon lamps (though colour temperature can be a limitation).  The scale for color rendition is the Ra – hence a 9 series tube has an Ra in the 90s, an 8 series tube has an Ra in the 80s.  Incandescent lamps typically have an Ra of 100, as does sunlight.  The higher the number the better. 

At the lower end of the budget, a standard fluorescent tube fitting with 840 tubes (these are the most common tubes available which have a rating) is adequate for general area lighting in most art studios.  If there is no rating on the tube, don't buy it. 

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs or Energy Savers) do not normally publish information about the spectrum, and sometimes not about the colour temperature (other than ‘warm’ or ‘cool white’).  As these are made by a variety of manufacturers, whose choice of phosphor (and hence colour spectrum) may be dictated by phosphor cost, or brightness per watt, CFLs are not generally recommended for when accurate colour rendition is important or colour temperature is critical.  The exception is the relatively uncommon full spectrum CFLs.  As a general rule CFLs are good for energy efficient general lighting when you don’t have the choice of fluorescent tubes, but daylight corrected incandescents will give better colour rendition and should be used in more critical areas of your studio.

Low voltage halogen (and xenon) bulbs can make good work lighting and most low voltage types are full spectrum, but do not provide for much choice in color temperature values – you are typically limited to around 3000-3500K though Vivalite produces a 5000K low voltage halogen lamp.  For work which will be exhibited under this type of lighting, having these bulbs present in the studio can be useful.  Desk and clamp lights which accept halogen bulbs are cheap and readily available.

Mains voltage halogen lights appear to be less bright, and less energy efficient than low voltage equivalents, but the newer mains xenon-halogen replacements appear to address many of these limitations.  Currently, low voltage halogen lamps are still preferable.  If you are fitting new lights, you are probably better to choose fluoresent tubes, or low voltage halogen fittings with xenon-halogen bulbs.

Incandescent lights, despite their obvious colour cast, actually produce a very good spectrum of light.  The better solution is to use a Daylight Corrected Incandescent Bulb,  which is made by a number of manufacturers.  It looks like a clear incandescent bulb with a clear blue coating on the glass to remove excess red-orange from the emitted light spectrum and thus increase the colour temperature.  I have one of these in a desk lamp and have found it to be about the best (cheap) solution for reviewing and proofing work (as well as for working under).  The bulb I bought today cost under NZ$7, and was available in both bayonet and Edison Screw fittings.  The problem with incandescent bulbs is poor lifetime and poor energy efficiency.  However, if good colour reproduction is required and existing fittings take this type of bulb, then you are probably best to buy and install the daylight corrected incandescent bulbs.

LED lamps.  Probably best to stay away from these currently – at the moment there is very little data about the spectrum and colour temperatures of this form of lighting.  They also come from a wide variety of sources, with different levels of quality control.  Unlike single colour LEDs, most white LEDs actually use an internal internal UV LED to excite a white phosphor.  Here we run into the same problem as most non-‘full spectrum’ Compact Fluorescent Lamps – one is never quite sure about the spectrum of the light from the phosphors chosen.  However this is likely to change as LEDs become more popular as a mainstream light source, and it is increasingly used in specialised areas such as museums and galleries.  If you find an LED lamp with specifications indicating it is full spectrum, then by all means consider it, though low voltageLED lamps often require special control gear (and many cannot be directly substituted for a low voltage halogen lamp unless a wire wound transformer has been used)

What do I have in my studios?  I have several downlights with higher end compact fluorescent bulbs for general area lighting.  Over my drawing desk I have halogen ceiling downlights fitted with low voltage xenon-halogen bulbs, which are brighter than halogens and produce minimal UV light - you are likely to see these being more common place in galleries until LED lamps take over.  I also have, on my drawing desks, desk lamps with Daylight Corrected Incandescent Bulbs for working, proofing, and reviewing.

If you can, it is best to have a variety of light sources to emulate the conditions under which your work will be reviewed.  Also, there is no perfect substitute for the sun, whose light characteristics also change during the course of a day and due to atmospheric conditions.  Having a range of lighting can help you simulate different effects, and allow for reasonably accurate colour rendition under different colour temperature conditions.

Examples of detailed lamp data sheets:

Mains halogen http://www.lampspecialists.co.nz/productPDFs/5255h.pdf

CFL energy savers http://www.lampspecialists.co.nz/productPDFs/5224h.pdf

Low voltage halogen http://www.lampspecialists.co.nz/productPDFs/5257h.pdf

Fluorescent tube http://www.lightaudit.com/data/phillipsfluorescent/master_tel5_high_efficiency.pdf

MR16 low voltage halogen http://www.prismaecat.lighting.philips.com/ecat/Light/ApplicationRouter.aspx?fh_secondid=924057417101_2&fh_reftheme=en_NZ_en_HK_promo_75140920%2cseeall%2c%2f%2fprof%2fen_NZ%2fcategories%3c%7bfapplg%7d%2fcountries%3e%7ben_NZ%7d%2fstatus%3e%7bact%7d%2fcategories%3c%7bc_0002fapplg_2246_ap01%7d%2fcategories%3c%7bc_0022fapplg_2249_ap01lhal%7d%2fcategories%3c%7bc_0002fapplg_2264_ap01ldir%7d&fh_location=%2f%2fprof%2fen_NZ%2fcategories%3c%7bfapplg%7d%2fcountries%3e%7ben_NZ%7d%2fstatus%3e%7bact%7d%2fcategories%3c%7bc_0002fapplg_2246_ap01%7d%2fcategories%3c%7bc_0022fapplg_2249_ap01lhal%7d%2fcategories%3c%7bc_0002fapplg_2264_ap01ldir%7d%2fcategories%3c%7bf_0022fapplg_2264_pal_hbrilalu%7d&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=lister&tab=&family=&&left_nav=nz_en&

 

article image - www.hughmitton.com

 

Everything the Artist Needs to Know About Lighting in the Studio - Colour Spectrum (Part 2 of 5)

Stellar_spectra_3

Colour temperature is important in determining how a work will appear at different times of day, or in different lights.  However accurate colour reproduction under artificial light is equally affected by the colour spectrum of the light produced.

 The colour spectrum of a light source has a significant effect on how accurately colours are reproduced.  Look at a rainbow, created by the sun, and you will see the colours spread uniformly from red to violet.  However, if we split the light from some artificial light sources into their spectrum (e.g. through a prism), there may be gaps in the spectrum produced.  These gaps will have a significant bearing on colour reproduction – if there is a gap in the yellow region, then yellows will not be reproduced well  when viewing under that light, while colours which reflect yellow light (e.g. orange) will be out of balance with other colours.  The consequence is poor colour rendition, as different colours in your artwork will be out of balance with each other.

 This is a different problem to colour casts such as from low colour temperature light sources.  Here, most of the colours will be balanced in intensity when the art work is viewed, but colours towards the red-orange end of the spectrum may be enhanced in comparison to bright noon daylight.  This is entirely different to when a light source’s spectrum causes greens to appear as black, for instance, but reds, oranges, blues and violets reproduced faithfully.  Therein lies the difference between colour temperature and colour spectrum issues.

A good (extreme) example of gaps in the spectrum are the orange sodium vapour lamps often seen in street lighting – highly efficient, but with significant gaps in the visible light spectrum.

Some compact fluorescents can suffer from incomplete spectrum problems, as some focus more on achieving a particular brightness and colour temperature than colour reproduction.  There is no easy way to know which compact fluorescents (sometimes known as energy saver lamps) are better or worse, though some are marketed as “full spectrum” lamps.  In this case the phosphors (the white stuff coating the inside of the tube) are chosen on the basis of achieving a full and complete colour spectrum.  Fluorescent tubes (that’s the long tubes as opposed to the moden compact types with a bayonet or Edison screw fitting) do not always suffer this problem as they have long been used in applications requiring good colour reproduction, and have had significant time spent on improving phosphors - see the next article entitled ‘Types of lighting’.

 As well as gaps in the colour spectrum of a light source, there may also be uneven weighting of colours within the spectrum with certain lighting sources.  Photographers know that many older type fluorescents (using old (non-modern) phosphors), and mercury vapour lamps,  produce a strong green cast as well as having incomplete or un-natural spectrums . In contrast the old incandescent lamps produce a full spectrum but more light in the orange-yellow range than the blue violet (unless you buy a daylight corrected incandescent – see below).  Most modern low voltage halogen and xenon lamps also provide a full spectrum coverage, and are also good for accurate colour recondition.  The only problem with these non-fluorescent options is limited choice of colour temperature, which is problematic if you wish to simulate sunlight/daylight at mid-day. 

In summary colour spectrum affects the accuracy of colour reproduction (as we see things under the light source), and is an important consideration when choosing lighting.  However, colour temperature is equally important for determining how a piece of artwork will appear in daylight, or under actual lighting conditions after installation.  Very much you need to consider both colour temperature and spectrum if you intend to work or review artwork under artificial light.

Interesting Links

full spectrum energy savers- http://www.viva-lite.co.nz/

Daylight corrected incandescent bulbs - http://www.lampspecialists.co.nz/productPDFs/5041h.pdf

Fluorescent tube data http://www.lightaudit.com/data/phillipsfluorescent/master_tel5_high_efficiency.pdf

 

 

Everything the Artist Needs to Know About Lighting in the Studio - Colour Temperature (Part 1 of 5)

Sun

In this series we look at artificial lighting in the artist’s studio. In the first article we talk about the colour temperature of  lighting.  Colour temperature is important as it reflects the colour cast that a light source projects onto a work.  This affects colour reproduction, but can also enhance or detract from a work.

                 

Last week I had some artist friends around to celebrate my birthday.  When we get together the topics wander, but one of the print makers asked about lighting for reviewing their prints as the days get shorter and gloomier.  Fortunately I was able to show them a day-light corrected incandescent bulb I had bought the day before.

 

As the discussion progressed, I realised that many artists, while knowledgeable in their respective fields, have a limited knowledge of lighting – as my introduction to art was via photography I had assumed that everyone had the detailed knowledge of lighting I possessed.  Not so.  Accordingly I have decided to share the following information in a series of posts – “Everything the Artist Needs to Know about Lighting – and some more besides”

                       

 

There are five main considerations regarding lighting affecting the typical artist in their studio.  These are:

i)                    colour temperature

ii)                   colour spectrum

iii)                 type of lighting

iv)                 position of lighting

v)                  brightness of lighting

 

Colour Temperature

 

Most artists will realise that sunlight close to sunset (or sunrise) is quite yellow or orange in colour.  In contrast, midday sunlight on a cloudless winter day is a bluish white.  Landscape artists will be aware of these changes and how it strongly affects the visual qualities of the landscape.  However, not all will be aware of the technical side of colour temperature, and how it relates to artificial light.

 

The normal scale for indicating the colour of lighting is “Kelvin” (which is also a unit of temperature).  The symbol for degrees Kelvin is “K”.  Essentially the colour of lighting (in Kelvin) represents the colour of light emitted when heating a block of carbon to that temperature.  Fortunately, people have created tables which give an easier indication which most artists can relate to:

 

1900K                         typical light emitted by a candle flame

2200K                         typical light at sunrise or sunset

2600-2900K                typical light by common incandescent bulb

3000K                         typical light by standard halogen bulb

4000-5000K                typical sunlight 2 hours before or after midday

5500-6500K                typical noon sunlight (winter sunlight can be much higher)

5500K                         typical camera flash

7500K                         outdoor shade areas on bright day

7500-10000K              cloudy day

10000-12000K            bright clear winter day with blue cloudless sky

 

It should be noted that Kelvin is not a measure of brightness, but colour temperature (and hence gives an indication of colour cast – the lower the number the more yellow-orange-red the light, while the higher the number the more bluish-white the temperature).

 

For the artist, colour temperature is important as it will alter the colour reproduction of what you are looking at.  Accordingly, it is useful to review or create your work in a colour temperature similar to that in which the work will be viewed, and for this multiple light sources may be desirable to emulate different situations. 

 

For reviewing and proofing work, colour temperature is not the only consideration with regards to accuracy of colour reproduction – something we shall discuss in the next article of this series.

Most artificial lighting will specify a colour temperature on the package, though most standard incandescent bulbs will fall within the range above (incandescent bulbs don’t generally state colour temperature on packaging.  Personally I like to work in a colour temperature range of around 2800 to 3500K.  However for proofing I will use a daylight corrected incandescent bulb – unfortunately most manufacturers don’t specify the colour temperature, but research suggests they are typically around 3800K.

 

Remember also that a light source near a strongly coloured wall will affect the colour temperature of light in the studio.  Light bouncing off a white wall will be quite different to that bouncing off a red wall.  Hence consider the positioning of your light sources in relation to coloured areas of the studio, as well as the colour temperature of the light source itself.

 

Also the artist should be aware of the effect of colour temperature when photographing works – not everyone is able to afford or access the services of a professional photographic setup for fine art reproduction.  Also, the sun and weather are not always co-operative when you want to pop outside to photograph your latest work so you can email it to a gallery.  Colour temperature has a strong effect on film media (with few exceptions, you need to buy a film specific to your lighting conditions).  The effect is just as pronounced with digital photography, though most modern digital cameras have an automatic colour balance (which can be manually over-ridden).  The problem is that the colours of your artwork can upset automatic colour balance, and you may be forced to manually select a colour balance setting which matches the colour temperature of your lighting.  We will look at this more fully in a following series about “Photographing and Reproducing Artwork for the Average DIY Artist”

 

More reading on Colour Temperature - http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Guide-to-colour-temperature-4804

article image courtesy of NASA