Preamble
This is the eleventh post in a new Art Resource series that specifically focuses on techniques used in creating artworks. For your convenience I have listed all the posts in this new series below:
Drawing Art
Painting Art - Part I
Painting Art - Part II
Painting Art - Part III
Painting Art - Part IV
Painting Art - Part V
Painting Art - Part VI
Home-Made Painting Art Materials
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part I
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part II
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part III
Historical Notes on Art - Part I
Historical Notes on Art - Part II
Historical Notes on Art - Part III
Historical Notes on Art - Part IV
Historical Notes on Art - Part V
Tempera Painting
Oil Painting - Part I
Oil Painting - Part II
Oil Painting - Part III
Oil Painting - Part IV
Oil Painting - Part V
Oil Painting - Part VI
Pigments
Classification of Pigments - Part I
Classification of Pigments - Part II
Classification of Pigments - Part III
Pigments for Oil Painting
Pigments for Water Color
Pigments for Tempera Painting
Pigments for Pastel
Japanese Pigments
Pigments for Fresco Painting - Part I
Pigments for Fresco Painting - Part II
Selected Fresco Palette for Permanent Frescoes
Properties of Pigments in Common Use
Blue Pigments - Part I
Blue Pigments - Part II
Blue Pigments - Part III
There have been one hundred and thirteen posts in a previous Art Resource series that focused on the following topics:
(i) Units used in dyeing and printing of fabrics.
(ii) Occupational, health & safety issues in an art studio.
(iii) Color theories and color schemes.
(iv) Optical properties of fiber materials.
(v) General properties of fiber polymers and fibers - Part I to Part V.
(vi) Protein fibers.
(vii) Natural and man-made cellulosic fibers.
(viii) Fiber blends and melt spun fibers.
(ix) Fabric construction.
(x) Techniques and woven fibers.
(xi) Basic and figured weaves.
(xii) Pile, woven and knot pile fabrics.
(xiii) Napped fabrics, double cloth and multicomponent fabrics.
(xiv) Fabric finishes.
(xv) Schrinkage, durable press and wash-wear finishes.
(xvi) Classification of dyes and dye blends.
(xvii) The general theory of printing.
To access any of the above resources click on the following link - Units Used in Dyeing and Printing of Fabrics. This link highlights the one hundred and thirteen posts in the previous Art Resource series.
There are eight data bases on this blogspot, namely: (1) the Glossary of Cultural and Architectural Terms; (2) Timelines of Fabrics, Dyes and Other Stuff; (3) A Fashion Data Base; (4) the Glossary of Colors, Dyes, Inks, Pigments and Resins; (5) the Glossary of Fabrics, Fibers, Finishes, Garments and Yarns; (6) Glossary of Art, Artists, Art Motifs and Art Movements; (7) Glossary of Paper, Photography, Printing, Prints and Publication Terms; (8) Glossary of Scientific Terms.
Note: From time-to-time all the above data bases will be updated.
If you find any post on this blog site useful, you can save it or copy and paste it into your own "Word" document for your future reference. For example, Safari allows you to save a post (e.g., click on "File", click on "Print" and release, click on "PDF" and then click on "Save As" and release - and a PDF should appear where you have stored it). Safari also allows you to mail a post to a friend (e.g., click on "File", and then point cursor to "Mail Contents On This Page" and release). Either way, this or any of the other posts on this site may be a useful Art Resource for you.
The new Art Resource series will be the first post in each calendar month. Remember, these Art Resource posts span information that will be useful for a home hobbyist to that required by a final year University Fine-Art student. Undoubtedly, some parts of any Art Resource post may appear far too technical for your needs (skip those mind boggling parts) and whilst other parts may be too simplistic with respect to your level of knowledge (ditto the skip). Hopefully, the trade-off between these two extremes will mean that the Art Resource posts will be useful in parts to most, but unfortunately, may not be satisfying to all!
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part III [1]
Standard Specfications for Artist's Materials
In the past, selection of prepared artists' materials has rested upon the experience and judgement of the user, substantiated by simple tests which they have been able to make, such as exposure to daylight and a rough strength test. No satisfactory, practical standard was established for the control of artists' materials, for there was no agency where such activity could be guided by modern technicians whose judgement would be largely based on the artists' viewpoint with reasonable allowances for the manufacturers' problems.
Current Australian Consumer Protection.
In the case of oil colors, this situation was improved in America in 1942, by the adoption of a set of specifications voluntarily agreed upon between the manufacturers and the artist-consumer, under the auspices of the United States Department of Commerce, entitled 'Commercial Standard CS98-62 and commonly called the "Paint Standard" which was revised in 1981 with further revisions thereafter. This important step established a minimum standard by which artists' oil colors can be evaluated; those products which conform to or exceed its requirements are considered satisfactory for professional use in fine-art painting.
US Paint Standards.
The Standard also lists a series of performance and physical-property tests and an "offical" nomenclature, which is now being observed by most makers and has greatly benefited the artists. Paints whose labels guarantee that they conform to or exceed CS98-62 are of as high quality as modern methods and present-day knowledge can produce. Those which do not bear this number may well be substandard in some way, regardless of their advertising claims.
The common name for the Commercial Standard for Artists Oil Paints CS 98-62 is issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce. First printed in 1942, the Paint Standard provides specifications for the minimum quality required to artists colors. Copies can be ordered from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington DC.
The Need for Scientific Research
The study of artist's materials and techniques is hampered by the lack of scientific data of an authentic nature based on modern scientific laboratory investigations with which to supplement our present knowledge - the accumulation of the practical experience of past centuries, necessarily quite full of principles which rest on the shaky foundations of conjecture and consensus.
While there is lots of information about the history of pigments and paints there is little scientific research on their quality.
In the two parallel fields of museum conservation and industrial paint chemistry, much valuable work has been accomplished on these lines, but because its aims, criteria, and requirements are so divergent, the field of the practicing creative arts glean very little knowledge from these sources; proven data have accumulated slowly and lag far behind our needs. We await the day when a sustained activity, directed from the viewpoint of the artist, will supply us with more benefits of modern science and technology. In general, it can be said that our criteria of excellence in materials and technique is still not far beyond those of 1840 and that our oil-painting methods and materials are not substantially far removed from those of Rembrandt.
Dutch painter Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is widely considered to be one of the most important painters in history. Many of his pieces were painted during Holland’s “Golden Age” — a time when Dutch trade, science and art was among the most acclaimed in the world. This year marks the 350th anniversary of Rembrandt's death and museums across the world are paying tribute with exhibitions dedicated to the influential artist.
What are the best brands of tube colors?
A vast amount of expensive laboratory work and a perpetual vigilance would have to be invoved before an impartial judge could vouch for the quality of any brand of prepared artist's materials. So far as top-grade lines of professional artists' paints are concerned, this much can be said: in general, those put out by prominent, well-established manufacturers are more or less on par. They make a conscious effort to provide the best they can, to make the finest oil color, water color, casein, or gouche in competition with others; their top grade are a prestige item. There is, however, some choice or range in color or pigment differences and in the mnaufacturer's ideas of what constitutes the best criteria for a good tube color, so the question is up to the users themselves - the artist might prefer one firm's blue, another's red, and so on, or they may favor a complete set of one brand.
Tube stocks. What is your favourite brand?
Conformity with a country's standard is another factor. It would not be feasible for an impartial specialist to recommend specific brands, for to do so would require the maintenance of a consumer's testing laboratory, continually checking every color in every line in every season.
Australian Consumer Advocates - Choice - preparing a submission to the Australian Federal Government.
Reference:
[1] The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques, R. Mayer, (ed. E. Smith) 4th Edition, Faber and Faber, London (1981).
This is the eleventh post in a new Art Resource series that specifically focuses on techniques used in creating artworks. For your convenience I have listed all the posts in this new series below:
Drawing Art
Painting Art - Part I
Painting Art - Part II
Painting Art - Part III
Painting Art - Part IV
Painting Art - Part V
Painting Art - Part VI
Home-Made Painting Art Materials
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part I
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part II
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part III
Historical Notes on Art - Part I
Historical Notes on Art - Part II
Historical Notes on Art - Part III
Historical Notes on Art - Part IV
Historical Notes on Art - Part V
Tempera Painting
Oil Painting - Part I
Oil Painting - Part II
Oil Painting - Part III
Oil Painting - Part IV
Oil Painting - Part V
Oil Painting - Part VI
Pigments
Classification of Pigments - Part I
Classification of Pigments - Part II
Classification of Pigments - Part III
Pigments for Oil Painting
Pigments for Water Color
Pigments for Tempera Painting
Pigments for Pastel
Japanese Pigments
Pigments for Fresco Painting - Part I
Pigments for Fresco Painting - Part II
Selected Fresco Palette for Permanent Frescoes
Properties of Pigments in Common Use
Blue Pigments - Part I
Blue Pigments - Part II
Blue Pigments - Part III
There have been one hundred and thirteen posts in a previous Art Resource series that focused on the following topics:
(i) Units used in dyeing and printing of fabrics.
(ii) Occupational, health & safety issues in an art studio.
(iii) Color theories and color schemes.
(iv) Optical properties of fiber materials.
(v) General properties of fiber polymers and fibers - Part I to Part V.
(vi) Protein fibers.
(vii) Natural and man-made cellulosic fibers.
(viii) Fiber blends and melt spun fibers.
(ix) Fabric construction.
(x) Techniques and woven fibers.
(xi) Basic and figured weaves.
(xii) Pile, woven and knot pile fabrics.
(xiii) Napped fabrics, double cloth and multicomponent fabrics.
(xiv) Fabric finishes.
(xv) Schrinkage, durable press and wash-wear finishes.
(xvi) Classification of dyes and dye blends.
(xvii) The general theory of printing.
To access any of the above resources click on the following link - Units Used in Dyeing and Printing of Fabrics. This link highlights the one hundred and thirteen posts in the previous Art Resource series.
There are eight data bases on this blogspot, namely: (1) the Glossary of Cultural and Architectural Terms; (2) Timelines of Fabrics, Dyes and Other Stuff; (3) A Fashion Data Base; (4) the Glossary of Colors, Dyes, Inks, Pigments and Resins; (5) the Glossary of Fabrics, Fibers, Finishes, Garments and Yarns; (6) Glossary of Art, Artists, Art Motifs and Art Movements; (7) Glossary of Paper, Photography, Printing, Prints and Publication Terms; (8) Glossary of Scientific Terms.
Note: From time-to-time all the above data bases will be updated.
If you find any post on this blog site useful, you can save it or copy and paste it into your own "Word" document for your future reference. For example, Safari allows you to save a post (e.g., click on "File", click on "Print" and release, click on "PDF" and then click on "Save As" and release - and a PDF should appear where you have stored it). Safari also allows you to mail a post to a friend (e.g., click on "File", and then point cursor to "Mail Contents On This Page" and release). Either way, this or any of the other posts on this site may be a useful Art Resource for you.
The new Art Resource series will be the first post in each calendar month. Remember, these Art Resource posts span information that will be useful for a home hobbyist to that required by a final year University Fine-Art student. Undoubtedly, some parts of any Art Resource post may appear far too technical for your needs (skip those mind boggling parts) and whilst other parts may be too simplistic with respect to your level of knowledge (ditto the skip). Hopefully, the trade-off between these two extremes will mean that the Art Resource posts will be useful in parts to most, but unfortunately, may not be satisfying to all!
Quality in Ready-Made Artists' Supplies - Part III [1]
Standard Specfications for Artist's Materials
In the past, selection of prepared artists' materials has rested upon the experience and judgement of the user, substantiated by simple tests which they have been able to make, such as exposure to daylight and a rough strength test. No satisfactory, practical standard was established for the control of artists' materials, for there was no agency where such activity could be guided by modern technicians whose judgement would be largely based on the artists' viewpoint with reasonable allowances for the manufacturers' problems.
In the case of oil colors, this situation was improved in America in 1942, by the adoption of a set of specifications voluntarily agreed upon between the manufacturers and the artist-consumer, under the auspices of the United States Department of Commerce, entitled 'Commercial Standard CS98-62 and commonly called the "Paint Standard" which was revised in 1981 with further revisions thereafter. This important step established a minimum standard by which artists' oil colors can be evaluated; those products which conform to or exceed its requirements are considered satisfactory for professional use in fine-art painting.
The Standard also lists a series of performance and physical-property tests and an "offical" nomenclature, which is now being observed by most makers and has greatly benefited the artists. Paints whose labels guarantee that they conform to or exceed CS98-62 are of as high quality as modern methods and present-day knowledge can produce. Those which do not bear this number may well be substandard in some way, regardless of their advertising claims.
The Need for Scientific Research
The study of artist's materials and techniques is hampered by the lack of scientific data of an authentic nature based on modern scientific laboratory investigations with which to supplement our present knowledge - the accumulation of the practical experience of past centuries, necessarily quite full of principles which rest on the shaky foundations of conjecture and consensus.
In the two parallel fields of museum conservation and industrial paint chemistry, much valuable work has been accomplished on these lines, but because its aims, criteria, and requirements are so divergent, the field of the practicing creative arts glean very little knowledge from these sources; proven data have accumulated slowly and lag far behind our needs. We await the day when a sustained activity, directed from the viewpoint of the artist, will supply us with more benefits of modern science and technology. In general, it can be said that our criteria of excellence in materials and technique is still not far beyond those of 1840 and that our oil-painting methods and materials are not substantially far removed from those of Rembrandt.
What are the best brands of tube colors?
A vast amount of expensive laboratory work and a perpetual vigilance would have to be invoved before an impartial judge could vouch for the quality of any brand of prepared artist's materials. So far as top-grade lines of professional artists' paints are concerned, this much can be said: in general, those put out by prominent, well-established manufacturers are more or less on par. They make a conscious effort to provide the best they can, to make the finest oil color, water color, casein, or gouche in competition with others; their top grade are a prestige item. There is, however, some choice or range in color or pigment differences and in the mnaufacturer's ideas of what constitutes the best criteria for a good tube color, so the question is up to the users themselves - the artist might prefer one firm's blue, another's red, and so on, or they may favor a complete set of one brand.
Conformity with a country's standard is another factor. It would not be feasible for an impartial specialist to recommend specific brands, for to do so would require the maintenance of a consumer's testing laboratory, continually checking every color in every line in every season.
Reference:
[1] The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques, R. Mayer, (ed. E. Smith) 4th Edition, Faber and Faber, London (1981).
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