Mixing oil paint was a time consuming chore 1. Crush minerals
into powdered pigments 2. Add the binder 3. Store in casings made
of animal bladder 4. Do this every few days The 1841 invention of
collapsible tubes of paint changed the art world. 1. Provided
premixed paints 2. Allowed artists to paint outdoors Artists began
using oil paints in Northern Europe in the 15 th century (Early
Renaissance) OIL
Slide 3
FRIDA KAHLO As a teenager she was in a traffic accident and
thereafter spent most of her life in physical and emotional pain.
She often painted herself suffering. She taught herself how to
paint Developed a style informed by the Social Realism popular in
Mexican painting after the revolution of 1910. Like the socially
aware Mexican muralists, Kahlo used realism to express the pains
and frustrations of her life, especially her injury and marriage.
The close-up style of most of her portraits also reflects the
influence of Mexican retablos (portraits of saints)
Slide 4
Self-portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird by Frida
Kahlo This Mexican painter is known for a large series of
self-portraits. How did she create a sense of balance in this work?
The wounds in her neck made by thorny vines symbolize her
devastation following her divorce from artist Diego Rivera. A dead
hummingbird (an image she identified with herself) hangs from her
neck.
Slide 5
OIL SURFACES Surfaces used in oil paintings include: Wood Paper
Canvas (Linen or Cotton) Most surfaces need a coat of primer, the
glue or size (such as gesso) used to prepare a painting surface The
primer prevents oil paint from seeping into the surface
Slide 6
Brushes most often used for oil painting are made of stiff,
white hog bristles. Three types of brushes 1. Filbert- long
bristles with rounded tips 2. Flat- long bristles with square tips
3. Bright- short bristles with square tips Fan brushes are used for
blending and thin riggers are used for fine lines and details.
Brushes must be thoroughly cleaned with turpentine after use (oil
buildup will ruin brushes) TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Slide 7
A palette knife can be used to: 1. mix colors on a palette 2.
to scrape paint off a palette or canvas 3. to apply paint Palette
knives are thin and flexible and come in a variety of shapes
Palettes come in different forms 1. Wooden- should be cleaned
regularly and given a coat of linseed oil each time 2. Wax paper-
convenient because they are disposable TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Slide 8
Floor or table easel is essential 1. Keeps canvas upright for
comfort while working 2. Allows you to view your painting at a good
angle 3. When using paper, tape to a board then put on an easel
Brush washers allows paint to sink to the bottom when cleaning your
brushes in thinner. Palette cups are used to hold small amounts of
oil or turnpentine TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Slide 9
Can be used in many different ways 1. Thin, transparent washes
2. Directly from the tube Oil paint is very thick which means it
needs a stiff brush to be able to spread it. Thin the paint with 1.
Linseed oil 2. Turpentine 3. An equal combination of the two Thin
washes can be applied over previously painted areas BASIC OIL
TECHNIQUES
Slide 10
Mix colors on a palette before placing them on a surface.
Scratching, applying straight from the tube (no brush), using
palette knives all add interesting results. Scumbling- apply an
opaque color over a dried color and then remove some of the opaque
color with a brush or rag, revealing the first layer of color and
adding texture to the surface. Build up layers Underpainting- the
first layer of a painting, to sketch in the main shapes, to be
overpainted with other colors or glazes. BASIC OIL TECHNIQUES
Slide 11
Underpaintings are done with a thin wash that dries quickly.
You MUST work from thin layers to thick ones, letting each layer
dry before adding the next. Thin layers that are dry are not
flexible, if over a think layer that is still drying and shrinking
the thinner layer will crack and flake. Alla prima- wet into wet;
work is completed in one session. Easy to overwork the surface
using this technique BASIC OIL TECHNIQUES
Slide 12
Store carefully to avoid smearing and/or smudging. BASIC OIL
TECHNIQUES Lonely Stairway by Iza Wojcik The artist used thin
washes of paint to create a muted, mysterious image. What part of
the painting has contrast? What effect does this create?
Slide 13
Abstract Expressionism, was dominated by male painters and
gallery owners who sensed they could make money off this style of
art. There were prominent female artists of this movement, Joan
Mitchell among them. Influenced by Gorky and de Kooning, she
developed a style of slashing lines and shapes of bright colors on
neutral backgrounds. Her first solo exhibit was in 1952. ART
HISTORY BREAK
Slide 14
Slide 15
Yvonne and Magdeleine Torn in Tatters by Marcel Duchamp Study
this painting of Duchamps sisters. What elements or principles did
he emphasize?
Slide 16
RENE MAGRITTE Surrealism- An artistic movement in the 1920s
that explored dreams, a world above or beyond conscious thought.
Rene Magritte was born in Belgium in 1898, went to art school when
he was thirteen. Painted roses in a wallpaper factory and designed
advertisements to make a living before finding success in the
surrealist movment.
Slide 17
Sketch out the largest objects, areas with diluted wash of
paint or do an underpainting. Use larger brushes to paint large,
bold areas. Begin with shadows or dark values first then add areas
of lighter value next Fill in small areas using a medium sized
brush. Add secondary objects and shapes that overlap the larger
areas. Add finishing touches (textures, patterns, etc.) with a
small brush. HOW TO USE OIL PAINTS
Slide 18
Known for nightmarelike compositions that have a strong sense
of motion and energy. Born in Chili in 1911 but lived in many
countries. Studied architecture in college. His paintings are very
large, and have a sense of sci-fi to them. ROBERTO MATTA
