Preamble
For your convenience I have listed below other posts in this series:
Diversity of African Textiles
African Textiles: West Africa
Stripweaves (West Africa) - Part I
Stripweaves (West Africa) - Part II
Stripweaves (West Africa) - Part III
Stripweaves (West Africa) - Part IV
Djerma Weaving of Niger and Burkina-Faso
Woolen Stripweaves of the Niger Bend
Nigerian Horizontal - Loom Weaving
Yoruba Lace Weave
Nigerian Women's Vertical Looms
The Supplementary Weft Cloths of Ijebu-Ode and Akwete
African Tie and Dye
Tie and Dye of the Dida, Ivory Coast
African Stitch Resist
Yoruba Stitch Resist
Yoruba: Machine-Stitched Resist Indigo-Dyed Cloth
Yoruba and Baulé Warp Ikat
Nigerian Starch-Resist (by hand)
Stencilled Starch-Resist
Wax Resist
Wax Resist [1]
Though never esteemed in the same way as stripwoven or other forms of resist-dyed cloth, wax-resist cloths are by far the most widespread handmade cloths in West Africa. With their bright colors and 'psychedelic' designs, they are used as women's and men's cloths and made into dresses, shirts and gowns. Cheap and cheerful, the generically known gara cloths of Sierra Leone and neighbouring countries have sparked screen-printed and factory-made imitations that are often difficult to distinguish from the originals.
The West African love of wax-batik cloth is said to have originated because the Dutch took soldiers from the Gold Coast to Java to fight in their colonial wars during the 18th century.
West Africa has no equivalent of the Indonesian canting or the South Indian kalam, instruments for the application of wax. Practitioners of wax batik in West Africa have to make do with the humble commercial sponge. Laying out the mill-woven cloth on a padded table, the worker dips a sponge into a little heated metal pot of molten paraffin wax and applies it to the cloth, which is then dip-dyed in a vat of chemical dyes.
The festering, or veining, of the design is achieved by scrunching the waxed cloth before dyeing so that hair-line cracks appear in the wax resist, through which the dye can penetrate. This feature, which in Java would indicate inferior batik, is highly valued in West Africa.
A multi-colored wax-batik woman's cloth from Gambia. The veined effect is achieved by crumpling the wax resist before dyeing.
Wax has been printed onto this cloth from Mali with simple wooden stamps before it has been dyed.
A woman's gown from eastern Nigeria. The cloth from which it has been made had a wax resist applied to it through plastic lace curtains.
Wooden stamps from Guinea for applying wax resist.
Reference:
[1] J. Gillow, African Textiles, Thames & Hudson Ltd, London (2003).
Preamble
For your convenience I have listed below the annual reviews that span the life of this blogspot.
It's Been An Exciting Year (2010/2011)
Another Cheer - Another Year (2011/2012)
Where Did The Year Go? (2012/2013)
The Year of the Horse (2013/2014)
Cold and Windy - But on the Dawn of Renewal (2014/2015)
A Time To Reflect - A Time To Select (2015/2016)
A Time to Remember (2016/2017)
To Be or Not to Be (2017/2018)
The Night Too Quickly Passes (2018/2019)
The Year of Living Dangerously (2019/2020)
Attempt The Impossible Since Failure Will Still Be Your Success (2020/2021)
A Year of Climate Extremes (2021/2022)
I Love A Sunburnt Country (2022/2023)
Australian Rules (2023/2024)
Year of the Snake (2024/2025)
Introduction
Everybody is aware of the Chinese horoscope. So it is not surprising for people to search the internet at the beginning of the year, to try to discover what the year will hold for them. This year is the "Year of the Snake."
Then of course there is an additional refinement in that you might be a "Fire Snake," "Earth Snake," "Gold Snake," "Water Snake," or "Wood Snake," depending on which snake year you were born. For example, if you were born February 2, 1965 – January 20, 1966, then you are a "Wood Snake."
The Chinese New Year starts from January 29, 2025, that marks the start of the "Year of the Wood Snake"" in 2025. In the Chinese Zodiac, the "Snake" is linked to metamorphosis, wisdom, and intuition. The "Snake" year is characterized by introspection, mystery, and intelligence. Considering the great transformation, we are all subject to now that is Trump inspired, it is appropriate to shed the old “skin” and create a new one, like the snake.
What is perhaps not appreciated in the Western World is that the Chinese Zodiac is just one of a handful of Zodiacs that are celebrated in different regions of the world. For example, the Vietnamese Zodiac is utilized for naming lunar years, and so holds a crucial role in traditional Vietnamese culture.
The Vietnamese Zodiac animals are sacred to the Vietnamese people.
The Vietnamese Lunar New Year animals hold great cultural significance.
Throughout history, while the Western world adopted the Zodiac with 12 signs, Eastern cultures, particularly Vietnam, embraced 12 animals as a crucial timekeeping system. The question of their origin remains a subject of diverse perspectives. Many attribute the origin of the 12 Zodiac animals to Chinese traditions. However, an intriguing perspective emerges from a study of the ancient Vietnamese language by researcher Nguyen Cung Thong, who suggests that Vietnam may be the birthplace of the 12 Zodiac animals. With over 2,000 years of cultural interplay and a lack of conclusive evidence, uncovering the true origin of the 12 Zodiac animals presents a considerable challenge to cultural researchers. While the origin of the Vietnamese New Year Zodiac remains unclear, the order of animals in the 12 Zodiac signs is notably consistent across various Asian countries. They include the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Cat, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
Each animal in the Vietnamese zodiac system is given a distinct name. They are Tý (Rat), Sửu (Ox), Dần (Tiger), Mão (Cat), Thìn (Dragon), Tỵ (Snake), Ngọ (Horse), Mùi (Goat), Thân (Monkey), Dậu (Rooster), Tuất (Dog), and Hợi (Pig). These Vietnamese New Year animals play a role in predicting the future, assessing personality traits, and evaluating relationship compatibility.
Each Vietnamese zodiac year appears in a 12-year cycle, creating a recurring pattern. Each year corresponds to a specific zodiac animal. Based on the year of birth according to the lunar calendar, Vietnamese astrology utilizes the associated animal to provide insights into individuals and their lives. They influence various aspects of life, including the names of children and the optimal times for significant activities.
The Vietnamese horoscope mimics the Chinese horoscope and so this year is also the Year of the Snake, symbol of wisdom and intuition. The Snake is considered a sacred creature. Those born in the Year of the Snake are wise but reserved in speech. Symbolizing the succession of generations, individuals of this sign are characterized by calmness, gentleness, depth, and occasional bursts of anger. They are also resolute and persistent.
Vietnamese Horoscope Grouping.
In summary, the characteristics of the Vietnamese horoscope can be depicted as follows:
Rat - an animal for resourcefulness.
The Rat is characterized by its resourcefulness. Despite their proactive and dynamic nature, they often encounter many obstacles in life. Those born in the Year of the Mouse are often sensitive to financial matters, as the presence of a mouse often implies an abundance of rice in the granary.
Ox - a symbol of strength and determination.
The Ox represents hard work and patience. It also serves as a symbol of spring and agriculture. Those born in the Year of the Ox often exhibit enduring strength and strong leadership, making them well-suited for scientific pursuits. They are calm, kind, and highly determined but may also be quite stubborn.
Tiger - representing bravery and power.
The Tiger is one of the holy Vietnamese animals, where it is considered the king of the forest. People born in the Year of the Tiger are brave, smart, and risk-seeking. They are expected to do extraordinary things and become extremely successful in life. However, as strength often draws unwanted attention, some may face challenges due to social biases.
Cat - an emblem of independence and adaptability.
In Vietnam, the Cat is revered in the zodiac, while China and other nations celebrate the Rabbit. This difference is due to the crucial role of cats in catching mice to protect the harvest in Vietnam's rice culture. Those born in the Year of the Cat are often articulate, talented, ambitious, and successful academically. They may clash with those born in the Year of the Mouse.
Dragon - a mythical creature of power and luck.
In the legends of the East, the dragon stands as a symbol of royal authority, signifying the prosperity of the nation. Those born in the Year of the Dragon are characterized by honesty and dynamism, yet they can also be hot-tempered and stubborn. They embody symbols of power and wealth.
Snake - a symbol of wisdom and intuition.
In Vietnamese culture, the Snake is considered a sacred creature. Those born in the Year of the Snake are wise but reserved in speech. Symbolizing the succession of generations, individuals of this sign are characterized by calmness, gentleness, depth, and occasional bursts of anger. They are also resolute and persistent.
Horse - signifying freedom and vitality.
People born in the Year of the Horse are often gentle, easy-going, and open-minded, although they can be quite stubborn. They are also often straightforward and quite temperamental. The speed of a horse is reminiscent of the sun shining daily. Therefore, this sign is often associated with good health.
Goat - a Vietnamese New Year animal of kindness.
Individuals born in the Year of the Goat are typically serene and humble but reserved. They may speak awkwardly, making them less adept at sales activities, but their natural compassion and willingness to assist those in need are notable. Their inherent kindness often works to their advantage.
Monkey - an emblem of cleverness and playfulness.
Monkeys are known for their lively, playful nature, and high level of intelligence. Individuals born in the Year of the Monkey are often exceptionally talented with distinctive personalities. They are typically cheerful, resourceful, curious, and full of innovative ideas. Their weaknesses lie in their unpredictable and inconsistent temperaments.
Rooster - an animal for confidence and resilience.
The Year of the Rooster represents a phase of hardworking activity, as roosters are known for their busy schedules from dawn to dusk. Their distinctive comb is a symbol of remarkable intelligence and scholarly wisdom. Those born in the Year of the Rooster are recognized for their deep-thinking abilities. They often sustain themselves through diligent small business endeavors, working persistently like "a rooster digging the ground to find worms."
Some notables who were born in the Year of the Snake are: Ben Stiller, Pierce Brosnan, Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan, Charlie Sheen and Carole King - to name a few.
Carole King is an American composer and singer-songwriter. She is the most successful female songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century in the USA having written or co-written 118 pop hits on the American Billboard between 1955 and 1999. King also wrote 61 hits that charted in the UK, making her the most successful female songwriter on the UK singles charts between 1952 and 2005.
Year of the Snake (2024/2025)
The number of categories on this blogspot keeps growing. They are as follows: (i) ArtCloth, Art Quilts, Textile Art; (ii) Art Essays; (iii) Art Exhibitions/Installations/Talks; (iv) Artist's Profiles; (v) Art Resources; (vi) Art Reviews; (vii) Book Reviews/Interviews; (viii) Craft and Quilt Fairs; (ix) Fabric Lengths; (x) Glossaries; (xi) Guest Artists/Authors/Creatives/Guest Editors; (xii) Opinion Pieces; (xiii) Prints on Paper; (xiv) Resource Reviews; (xv) Technical Articles; (xvi) Wearable Art; (xvii) Workshops and Master Classes (i.e. my students outputs).
Note: Not all of these categories are present in any given year. For example, this season there were no Book Reviews/Interviews, or for that matter, Guest Artists/Author/Creatives, Guest Editors, Fabric Lengths, or Opinion Pieces. Futhermore, there were no new Glossaries, although several of the Glossaries were substantially increased in content (e.g., click on the following link - Glossary of Art, Artists, Art Motifs and Art Movements - to view the increase in its content.
I do realize that judging a post by a single criterion, namely, the most number of viewers, is not necessarily the smartest approach, since the length of stay of a viewer on that post might negate the former statistic. How often have you heard yourself say - 'Oops I really didn't mean to google this site when I googled "snake" and it landed on not the animal, but on a man's boxer shorts.' Within a second I was gone. Nevertheless, this one statistic makes it easier for me to make a judgement about which posts were popular, and so it will be used as the final arbitrator, except in the case when two posts differ by less than two viewers in total. Then I will decree that both are joint winners!
Note: Within each category we are only talking about differences in number of views, rather than the absolute number of views.
ArtCloth, Art Quilts, Textile Art
There were thirteen posts in this category in the 2024/2025 season, which is the most posts in any other category. The two that got the largest number of page views were: Yoruba and Baulé Warp Ikat and Nigerian Starch-Resist (by hand), with the former having twenty-two more page views and so is the winner of this category.
Baulé man's cloth.
Art Essays
There were nine posts in this category in 2024/2025 with the two posts that received the largest numbers of page views were published just one month apart, namely, A Brief History of Batik and Katazome (Stencil Dyeing) - Part I with the latter having three more page views.
Making a stencil of a flower design.
Art Exhibitions/Installations/Talks
There were two posts in this category in 2024/2025. The two posts that received the largest number of page views were published within a fortnight of each other and they were: Melbourne Now - Part VI [1] and Melbourne Now - Part VII with the former having fifteen more page views.
Artist and Title (Date): Byran Spier, Untitled (2012).
Artist(s) Profile
There were two posts in this category in 2024/2025 season, namely, Senyor Pablo and Christopher Baudouin with the the latter having twenty more page views and so is the winner in this category.
Dated: 1707.
Art Resources
The Art Resources posts are generally the first post in any given month and so they tend to numerically dominate the number of page views of the published posts in any given year. Hence there were twelve published posts in this category in the 2024/2025 season. It is surprising that the two most viewed posts in this category were four months apart, namely, Properties of Pigments in Common Use and Green Pigments - Part I and that both were only viewer one apart and so I declare them joint winners in this category.
Properties of Pigments in Common Use.
Shades of Green.
Prints on Paper
There were five Prints on Paper posts in 2024/2025 with the two most viewed being only one month apart and they were: Street Graphics of Tokyo - Part II and Intaglio Prints Created Using Solarplates[1] - Part IV with the latter having nine more page views.
Creator: Janet Ayliffe.
Title: Kangarilla (1998).
Print: Single exposure two-plate intaglio print.
Size: 21 x 11.5 in (53.5 x 29 cm).
Wearable Art
There were four posts in this category in 2024/2025, with the two most viewed posts featuring the designs of Gianni Versace, namely, Gianni Versace - The Dream and Gianni Versace - Menswear, with the former having fifteen more page views.
Description: Sleeveless evening dress with panniers and oversized stole. Spring-Summer Collection (1988).
Material: Black-and white filigree-printed silk.
Courtesy: Gianni Versace Archives.
Workshops and Master Classes (i.e. my students outputs)
Title: "Image Dreamings: Basic Silk Screen Printing on Cloth Workshop."
The two day workshop - "Image Dreamings: Basic Silk Screen Printing on Cloth" - was organized by Amanda Donohue, the workshop co-ordinator for the Newcastle Printmakers Workshop Inc., Adamstown, Newcastle, Australia. It was held at the Newcastle Printmakers Workshop premises at 27 Popran Road, Adamstown, Newcastle, on the 29th & 30th March 2025. It was an honor to be invited to tutor this workshop to such an enthusiastic and hard-working group of participants.
Group photograph of workshop attendees.
From Left to Right: Josephine Bateman, Jann Barton, Mardi Ryan, Alison Winn, Wendy Nutt, and Jennifer Wood.
The output of all my students were spectacular. I won't highlight their outputs since it would take up too much space in this yearly review. However, please click on the following link to see their output - Workshop Outputs
I hope you have enjoyed this review of the yearly posts between August of 2024 to August of 2025 in the "Year of the Snake."
Reference:
[1] https://vinpearl.com/en/vietnamese-new-year-animals-12-signs-their-symbolism.
Preamble
Preamble
For your interest, I have listed below, other posts on this blogspot that centers on the use of Batik to create artworks:
Nothing Is The Same I & II (Els van Baarle, The Netherlands)
Batik ArtCloth from South-East Asia
Batiks from Kintore
Batiks From Warlpiri
Historical Israeli Batik ArtWorks
A Brief History of Batik
A History of Javanese Batik - Hindu Influence
A History of Javanese Batik - Islamic Influence
A History of Javanese Batik - Islamic Influence [1]
The start of Islam is marked in the year 610, following the first revelation to the prophet Muhammad at the age of 40. Muhammad and his followers spread the teachings of Islam throughout the Arabian peninsula. Around 1500 AD. the Hindu culture was replaced by the rise of Islam. Mohammedan traders from Arabia also brought Islamic preachers. Islamic tradition or Hadiths, the stories of the words and actions of Muhammad and his Companions, prohibits images of Allah, Muhammad and all the major prophets of the Christian and Jewish traditions. More widely, Islamic tradition has also discouraged the figurative depiction of living creatures, especially human beings. As a result, most of the graphic arts were deprived of a considerable source on inspiration. Sculpture, for example, which had previously created magnificant reliefs of human and god forms to decorate Hindu temples, went into decline.
Relief on Candi (temple) Mendut in Central Java from the Hindu-Javanese period, during which sculpture reached a high level of development. Later due to the Islamic tradition of discouraging figurative depiction of living creatures, such sculptures were no longer in vogue.
On the other hand the craft of batik experienced a highlight in its development in this Islamic period. Two reasons may be given for this: firstly, batik did not serve any religious purpose, and secondly, in the batik a method was found getting arround the rule forbidding the depiction of life forms by stylising the motifs (hindu) and by using geometric figures (Islam). In this manner both influences combined in the craft of batik.
Developed in the 18th century, during the Yogyakarta Sultanate, kawung was considered a favorite among the royal families of the Sultanate. Its geometrical patterns represent the fruit of an areca palm tree. In Indonesian, these fruits are called kolang kaling, a delicacy mostly enjoyed during Ramadan. Legend has it that the royal family of Yogyakarta Sultanate loved kawung so much that only those having the royal bloodline were allowed to wear it.
Another geometric batik pattern is parang, which has long, narrow symbols similar to a sword or the letter “S”. This sacred batik originated in the 16th century, in Central Java, during the reign of Sultan Agung of Mataram. It is said that Danang Sutawijaya, the son of Ki Ageng Pemanahan, created parang while observing a stretch of jagged rocks on the south coast. There’s also Indonesian folklore about a Javanese Prince named Panji, who was protected because he was wearing parang batik. This is why many Javanese people regard parang as a symbol of protection and security.
In 1575 the great Mohammedan empire Mataram was founded in Central Java. In the 'kratons', the residences of rulers, batiking continued to be done by women. Until 1600 blue indigo was exclusively for dyeing.
Blue indigo batik.
Truntum, a popular type of batik from Solo, was created by Kanjeng Ratu Kencana, the daughter of Sunan Pakubuwana III. People believe that the Queen, saddened by the King’s infidelity, made these star patterns while gazing at the night sky. Impressed by the motif, the King admired his wife‘s diligence. His love for the Queen rekindled and he reconciled with her. This legend popularized truntum as a symbol of reawakened love, making it a favorite among brides and grooms.
Truntum.
Then in the 17th and 18th centuries brown soga dyeing developed which considerably contributed to the full development of the batik craft.
18th Century, Soga dyed fabric.
Together with the white of the material and the blue indigo color, a color combination was produced which was typical for Central Java. This color combination has been retained even today in the former kingdoms of Surakarta (Solo) and Yogyakarta, into which Mataram later disintegrated. For various reasons, brighter color combinations developed on the north coast and in the west of Java. At this time there were already a number of motifs which were exclusively reserved for the court, by princely decree. Later this became unwritten law.
Reference:
[1] M. Spée, Traditional and Modern Batik, Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst (1982).
Preamble
For your convenience I have listed below other post in this series:
Fourth International Textile Competition '94 Kyoto - Part I.
Fourth International Textile Competition '94 Kyoto - Part II.
Fourth International Textile Competition '94 Kyoto - Part III.
Fourth International Textile Competition '94 Kyoto - Part IV.
Fourth International Textile Competition '94 Kyoto - Part V
Fourth International Textile Competition '94 Kyoto - Part V [1].
(i) Karin Carlander (Denmark).
Background: Born in 1959, he graduated from hign school in 1978. Jaqueline Durrbach gobelin workshop (1979), Jette Neners weavers workshop (1980-82), the Danish School of Art and Design, Textile Department (1983-1987). Member of the design group OCTO since 1989. Exhibitions: Furniture and Textiles (1990); Interplays "92."
Slide 1:
Title: Taquete.
Materials and Technique: Flax, sisal. Taquete.
Size: 5 (H) x 260 (W) x 175 (D) cm.
(ii) Kea-Nam, Cha (Japan, Korean).
Background: Not given in English.
Title: Not given in English.
Materials and Technique: Sisal, dye, sythetic resin. Dyeing, resin coating, pressing, cutting.
Size: 100 (H) x 200 (W) x 540 (D) cm.
(iii) Lidia, Choczaj (Poland).
Background: Born in 1970, she studied in the Academy of Fine Arts and Design and the Faculty of Printing in 1994.
Title: Flies I.
Materials and Technique: Woven on Jacquard loom.
Size: 270 (H) x 90 (W).
(iv) Luciana, Costa Gianello (Italy).
Background: Born in 1936. Teacher of weaving. Exhibitions: National Competition Koine (2nd Award); 3rd Prix International Betonac (Honorable mention).
Title: SKENOS-HOUSE OF THE SOUL.
Materials and Technique: Felt, wood. Personal technique of cutting.
Size: 110 (H) x 200 (W) x 200 (D) cm.
(v) Ellen Morgan Dieter (USA).
Background: Born in 1946, she graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College, Ohio (USA) in 1968. M.F.A. from Kent State University, Ohio, USA.
Title: The Woven Passage, #5.
Materials and Technique: Linen, cotton, rayon and silk. Painted warp, supplemental weft, treadled and hand-manipulated pattern, braided edges.
Size: 189 (H) x 80 (W) x 5 (D) cm.
(vi) Sonja Flavin (USA).
Background: Born in 1936. M.F.A. from Rochester Institute of Technology in 1982. Listed in "Who's Who in American Art" in 1987. Since 1992 uses optical fiber as exclusive medium. Exhibtions: Grand Prize "Textiles & Fabrics" (1990).
Title: Light Vessel.
Materials and Technique: Illuminated optical fiber (magenta light). Knotting, interlacing.
Size: 36 (H) x 13 (W) x 13 (D) cm.
Preamble
This is the forty-seventh 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
Green Pigments - Part I
Green Pigments - Part II
Red Pigments - Part I
Red Pigments - Part II
Yellow Pigments - Part I
Yellow Pigments - Part II
Brown and Violet Pigments
Black Pigments
White Pigments - Part I
There have been another one hundred and thirteen posts in a previous Art Resource series that have 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) Durable press and wash-and-wear finishes;
(xvi) Classification of dyes and dye blends;
(xv) The general theory of printing.
To access any of the above resources, please click on the following link - Units Used in Dyeing and Printing of Fabrics. This link will highlight all of the one hundred and thirteen posts in the previous a are eight data bases on this blogspot, namely, the Glossary of Cultural and Architectural Terms, Timelines of Fabrics, Dyes and Other Stuff, A Fashion Data Base, the Glossary of Colors, Dyes, Inks, Pigments and Resins, the Glossary of Fabrics, Fibers, Finishes, Garments and Yarns, Glossary of Art, Artists, Art Motifs and Art Movements, Glossary of Paper, Photography, Printing, Prints and Publication Terms and the Glossary of Scientific Terms. All data bases in the future will be updated from time-to-time.
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 (click on "File", and then point cursor to "Mail Contents On This Page" and release). Either way, this or 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 and so undoubtedly, some parts of any Art Resource post may appear far too technical for your needs (skip those mind boggling parts) and in other parts, it may be too simplistic with respect to your level of knowledge (ditto the skip). The trade-off between these two extremes will mean that Art Resource posts will be hopefully useful in parts to most, but unfortunately may not be satisfying to all!
Black Pigments [1]
The common black pigments - ivory, bone, lamp, vine and drop black - all consist of carbon obtained by burning various materials.
Ivory Black.
Bone Black.
Lamp Black.
Vine Black.
Drop Black.
They are very fluffy and of low specific gravity. For example, 25 pounds of the same grades of lampblack will fill a sugar barrel; the same barrel will often hold 300 pounds of pigment of average density.
They absorb a considerable amount of oil in terms of weight; however, when computed by volume it is not so much as the weight figures indicate. The carbon blacks are all very poor driers in oil and will retard the drying of a normal film, unless mixed with a siccatie pigment, such as Umber. The soluble salts in the impure members of this group (and in some of the purer ones also) will efflorescence, when the pigment is used as a mortar color or in a fresco; also the fluffy and water-repelling nature of this group makes them less desirable than Mars Black, for most water medium uses. The material specifically called Carbon Black is the most intense in color and tinctorial power of any of this family, but is not used as an artists' pigment for reasons noted (see past and future posts).
Mars Black.
These non-mineral blacks may be grouped as follows:
(i) Pure Carbon: Carbon Black, and Lamp Black.
(ii) Impure Carbon: Animal sources such as Ivory Black, Bone Black etc. Vegetable sources such as vine black and charcoal black.
Frankfort or Drop Black (see above) is made from a great variety of vegetable and animal materials. From the manufacturer's point of view, the difference between Lamp Black and Carbon Black is that Lamp Black is soot or carbon collected by the smudge process, whereas Carbon Black is soot made by direct contact of the flame with a metal plate.
Note: The inferior grades of Lamp Black contain small amounts of greasy materials.
Ivory Black (see above) is the most widely used artists' black and serves well as an all-round black and tinting color. It is the only member of an impure carbon group that is recommended as a permanent artist's color. However, it is one of the worst pigments to use full-strength, or nearly full-strength, as an undercoat in oil paintings: a film of any other pigment laid over black is extremely likely to crack, as will be shown in a future Art Resource post.
Black iron oxide, or Mars Black, as it is commonly known, is a thoroughly trustworthy pigment. Its introduction to the artists' palette is more recent. The native magnetic oxide and blacks made of ground shale, or slate, are too coarse for average pigment use, but they are used industrially to some extent, in water pastes, as motar colors, etc.
Some of the black or blackish effects produced by mixtures of other colors are mentioned in a post on 'Green Pigments.' Very exact matching of blacks on old paintings requires the direct rays of sunlight rather than diffused north light.
Most of the lines of artists' colors now offered center on Ivory Black, Lamp Black, and Mars Black.
Reference:
[1] The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques, R. Mayer (ed. E. Smith) 4th Edition, Faber and Faber, London (1981).
A multi-colored wax-batik woman's cloth from Gambia. The veined effect is achieved by crumpling the wax resist before dyeing.
Wax has been printed onto this cloth from Mali with simple wooden stamps before it has been dyed.
A woman's gown from eastern Nigeria. The cloth from which it has been made had a wax resist applied to it through plastic lace curtains.
Wooden stamps from Guinea for applying wax resist.
