What is a Monoprint?
A monoprint is
frequently interchanged with the word "monotype". "Monoprint" tends to be used by academics versus those selling art to the design community who prefer the word "monotype".
An artist starts by "painting" or "drawing" with ink on a surface such as a printmaking plate made of aluminum or zinc. Some use a large pane of Plexiglas to paint on. The resulting image is transferred to a piece of paper by placing a sheet of paper on top of the inked plate, running it through a press. One monoprint is yielded looking like what the artist drew with ink. Some residue of ink remains on the printmaking plate. That faint residue of ink becomes the platform from which the artist builds his/her next composition. The secondary composition can employ different colors as well as compositional changes. An advantage of making monoprints is the creation of a rhythm of working, saving time by creating subsequent compositions using the "ghost image" as a starting point for the next work of art.
What is Foxing?
Foxing is
is a condition flaw on a work on paper.
Foxing yields a freckled appearance typically of red brown spots. Currently it is believed these are iron oxides and hydroxides produced by the chemical reaction between the organic acids discharged by mold and the colorless iron salts and impurities embedded in the paper.
Dampness encourages mold. Some types of sizing in the paper also attract fungus growth. Acidic contact materials such as cardboard and animals glues can aggravate the foxing.
Only a professional paper conservator can minimize the appearance of foxing safely.
To read more on this topic, I suggest The Care of Prints and Drawings by Margaret Holben Ellis as well as Prints and The Print Market by Theodore B. Donson.
Showing posts with label native american art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label native american art. Show all posts
Friday, April 16, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Starting An Art Collection
Identify what kind of art you like. The following techniques can help you determine what that is:
1. Visit 3 to 6 museums displaying different types of art. Finish your visit by purchasing postcards in the gift shop that reflect artworks that are attractive to you. Toss these cards in a bowl, and don't look at them again until you have visited all the museums on your list. Once you have done so, review all the cards and look for similarities among them in terms of mediums chosen, time period of the artists, or the style of the artworks.
2. Visit your local library and find an art history book that spans at least four centuries of art from many different countries. Use sticky notes to mark your favorite pieces. Again, look for common elements to determine what you like the best.
• Match what you like with what you can afford and what is currently available to buy. Consult with knowledgeable art dealers or art appraisers about costs and availability of what you have selected. Determine your annual budget and the number of pieces you want to be able to purchase with that amount.
• Gather information about the quality of what you like, what you can afford, and what is currently available. Consult with museum personnel and knowledgeable art consultants about what they consider to be quality work.
• Join ancillary museum groups that offer lectures and exposure to valuable information.
• Subscribe to magazines that focus on the type of art you want to collect.
• Don’t rush to acquire art. For many, it’s a lifelong pursuit.
Starting a Contemporary Art Collection
Contact museum curators or art professionals in your area who do not sell.
1. Build a relationship with these professionals by attending lectures where they assemble.
2. Discuss your interest in collecting contemporary art and ask for their recommendations.
3. Listen for names being repeatedly identified as quality artists.
• Attend exhibitions at contemporary art galleries in your area. Ask for information about any work that interests you. This will help you understand what the artist intended for his or her work "to say."
• Go to national and international art fairs to gain additional exposure to contemporary art. Ask for information on work that interests you at these events as well.
• Contact prominent local contemporary artists working in a medium you like and ask them to identify their "hot picks."
• Supplement your efforts by reading art publications such as Art in America, Art Forum, and Art News, as well as magazines directed toward just one kind of medium, for example, Fiberarts or types of art for example, Latinarte, Native Peoples and American Indian Art magazines.
• Join ancillary museum groups focused on contemporary art. These events allow you to experience what experienced collectors of contemporary art have chosen. Travel to other cities with these groups to gain an even greater understanding of contemporary art.
• Do MOST of the steps described above before purchasing for your collection.
1. Visit 3 to 6 museums displaying different types of art. Finish your visit by purchasing postcards in the gift shop that reflect artworks that are attractive to you. Toss these cards in a bowl, and don't look at them again until you have visited all the museums on your list. Once you have done so, review all the cards and look for similarities among them in terms of mediums chosen, time period of the artists, or the style of the artworks.
2. Visit your local library and find an art history book that spans at least four centuries of art from many different countries. Use sticky notes to mark your favorite pieces. Again, look for common elements to determine what you like the best.
• Match what you like with what you can afford and what is currently available to buy. Consult with knowledgeable art dealers or art appraisers about costs and availability of what you have selected. Determine your annual budget and the number of pieces you want to be able to purchase with that amount.
• Gather information about the quality of what you like, what you can afford, and what is currently available. Consult with museum personnel and knowledgeable art consultants about what they consider to be quality work.
• Join ancillary museum groups that offer lectures and exposure to valuable information.
• Subscribe to magazines that focus on the type of art you want to collect.
• Don’t rush to acquire art. For many, it’s a lifelong pursuit.
Starting a Contemporary Art Collection
Contact museum curators or art professionals in your area who do not sell.
1. Build a relationship with these professionals by attending lectures where they assemble.
2. Discuss your interest in collecting contemporary art and ask for their recommendations.
3. Listen for names being repeatedly identified as quality artists.
• Attend exhibitions at contemporary art galleries in your area. Ask for information about any work that interests you. This will help you understand what the artist intended for his or her work "to say."
• Go to national and international art fairs to gain additional exposure to contemporary art. Ask for information on work that interests you at these events as well.
• Contact prominent local contemporary artists working in a medium you like and ask them to identify their "hot picks."
• Supplement your efforts by reading art publications such as Art in America, Art Forum, and Art News, as well as magazines directed toward just one kind of medium, for example, Fiberarts or types of art for example, Latinarte, Native Peoples and American Indian Art magazines.
• Join ancillary museum groups focused on contemporary art. These events allow you to experience what experienced collectors of contemporary art have chosen. Travel to other cities with these groups to gain an even greater understanding of contemporary art.
• Do MOST of the steps described above before purchasing for your collection.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sounding More Art Savvy
Want to sound like someone who is art savvy? Make sure you don't use the following art "faux pas."
• Using the word "seriagraph" - Actually, there is no such thing as a seriagraph. What you are attempting to reference is a form of printmaking known as a serigraph, screenprint or using past terminology, a silkscreen print.
• Using the word "sketches" - Those who are knowledgeable about art use the term "drawings" instead of sketches.
• Using the word "picture - The word picture suggests an item that is more decorative in nature, while the word "painting" denotes a valuable work of art. The word decorative tends to be used as a put down when commenting on the desirability of a work of art, somewhat akin to the word "interesting".
• Using the words "it's just a print" - There have been prints that have sold for several hundred thousand dollars, for example, works by Mary Cassatt, Pablo Picasso, Hokusai, and Sharaku. Aside from value, some artists did not create paintings, so their entire form of expression used printmaking. Sometimes effects achieved with printmaking cannot be accomplished with painting or drawing directly. If you meant "just a reproduction or a reproductive print", then you are commenting on a photograph of an existing artwork, which does not constitute an original work of art. This is entirely proper.
• Falling into the "art trap" - Whenever you are asked what you think about a painting, check to see if there are similar paintings in the room before responding. A family member or close friend may the proud artist. This is what I call the "art trap." A sharp observer will recognize that each piece is signed with the same name. Find something positive to say. Life in the art lane can be treacherous, but it is just like functioning as an expert witness, Think before you speak.
• Using the word "seriagraph" - Actually, there is no such thing as a seriagraph. What you are attempting to reference is a form of printmaking known as a serigraph, screenprint or using past terminology, a silkscreen print.
• Using the word "sketches" - Those who are knowledgeable about art use the term "drawings" instead of sketches.
• Using the word "picture - The word picture suggests an item that is more decorative in nature, while the word "painting" denotes a valuable work of art. The word decorative tends to be used as a put down when commenting on the desirability of a work of art, somewhat akin to the word "interesting".
• Using the words "it's just a print" - There have been prints that have sold for several hundred thousand dollars, for example, works by Mary Cassatt, Pablo Picasso, Hokusai, and Sharaku. Aside from value, some artists did not create paintings, so their entire form of expression used printmaking. Sometimes effects achieved with printmaking cannot be accomplished with painting or drawing directly. If you meant "just a reproduction or a reproductive print", then you are commenting on a photograph of an existing artwork, which does not constitute an original work of art. This is entirely proper.
• Falling into the "art trap" - Whenever you are asked what you think about a painting, check to see if there are similar paintings in the room before responding. A family member or close friend may the proud artist. This is what I call the "art trap." A sharp observer will recognize that each piece is signed with the same name. Find something positive to say. Life in the art lane can be treacherous, but it is just like functioning as an expert witness, Think before you speak.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Oil On Canvas: Painting Conservation 101
Conservation is defined as remedial attention given to extend the life of a work of art. The process often reconstitutes missing material by additions. These additions may be either visible or invisible and serve to restore the work's unity.
One of the most noticeable defects the public observes on a painted surface is craquelure. Craquelure appears as a minute crazing pattern on a painting's surface. The following layers make up a painting:
1. Stretcher bars are covered by a canvas support
2. Canvas is coated with a sizing medium
3. Gesso (a ground layer) is applied over the sizing medium
4. Paint is layered over the sizing medium
5. Varnish is capped over all these layers
Ideally all these layers dry uniformly. When the harmony of these layers is disrupted, a problem results, requiring conservation. For instance, as the different layers absorb and release moisture, expansion and contraction take place. As the materials age, the ongoing process of change can take its toll. Vibrations when art is transported can be harmful to one or more layers, even though temperature and humidity are controlled.
Returning to craquelure, it is understandable that the canvas has responds to a change in climactic conditions by either shrinking or swelling. The amount of stress might differ from the ground or paint layer. As these materials react to change differently, they result first in craquelure and finally become cleavage. Cleavage is the paint layer lifting from the canvas.
When craquelure appears as a function of age, it is generally left untouched, provided the painting is still legible. Should this condition become cleavage, a professional conservator must be consulted.
Another easily noticed problem is a slackening of the canvas, producing more "play" than was originally intended. Examine the stretcher bars. If all the corners are fixed by glue or nails and cannot be adjusted mechanically, your painting is attached to strainer bars, not stretcher bars. Stretcher bars have keys (wedges of wood that permit adjusting of the bars) or sophisticated metal elements that allow for adjustments. A canvas left for many years on strainer bars could rip once the canvas becomes brittle.
Yellowing or darkening varnish is another readily recognizable issue. About every 25 years, review canvases for a re-application of varnish. First the original varnish must be removed by a professional conservator.
Frequently-Asked Questions
How do I find a good conservator? American Institute of Conservation in Washington, DC 202 452-9545 is one source of competent people. Call your local large museums for recommendations as well as art appraisers in your area.
What can I expect from a conservator? It is customary for you to be provided
a) Estimated cost of treatment
b) Estimated time to complete the treatment
c) Conservator's steps to complete treatment
d) Anticipated result from the treatment (identification of what is possible to remedy and to what degree)
How are the fees assessed? Conservators guestimate the number of hours needed to complete the work (based on their past experience).
Word of caution: Find out if your conservator has insurance and if so, how much and what are the limitations of their coverage. If they do not, call your insurance company to find out their position on insuring your property while it is in the hands of a conservator.
One of the most noticeable defects the public observes on a painted surface is craquelure. Craquelure appears as a minute crazing pattern on a painting's surface. The following layers make up a painting:
1. Stretcher bars are covered by a canvas support
2. Canvas is coated with a sizing medium
3. Gesso (a ground layer) is applied over the sizing medium
4. Paint is layered over the sizing medium
5. Varnish is capped over all these layers
Ideally all these layers dry uniformly. When the harmony of these layers is disrupted, a problem results, requiring conservation. For instance, as the different layers absorb and release moisture, expansion and contraction take place. As the materials age, the ongoing process of change can take its toll. Vibrations when art is transported can be harmful to one or more layers, even though temperature and humidity are controlled.
Returning to craquelure, it is understandable that the canvas has responds to a change in climactic conditions by either shrinking or swelling. The amount of stress might differ from the ground or paint layer. As these materials react to change differently, they result first in craquelure and finally become cleavage. Cleavage is the paint layer lifting from the canvas.
When craquelure appears as a function of age, it is generally left untouched, provided the painting is still legible. Should this condition become cleavage, a professional conservator must be consulted.
Another easily noticed problem is a slackening of the canvas, producing more "play" than was originally intended. Examine the stretcher bars. If all the corners are fixed by glue or nails and cannot be adjusted mechanically, your painting is attached to strainer bars, not stretcher bars. Stretcher bars have keys (wedges of wood that permit adjusting of the bars) or sophisticated metal elements that allow for adjustments. A canvas left for many years on strainer bars could rip once the canvas becomes brittle.
Yellowing or darkening varnish is another readily recognizable issue. About every 25 years, review canvases for a re-application of varnish. First the original varnish must be removed by a professional conservator.
Frequently-Asked Questions
How do I find a good conservator? American Institute of Conservation in Washington, DC 202 452-9545 is one source of competent people. Call your local large museums for recommendations as well as art appraisers in your area.
What can I expect from a conservator? It is customary for you to be provided
a) Estimated cost of treatment
b) Estimated time to complete the treatment
c) Conservator's steps to complete treatment
d) Anticipated result from the treatment (identification of what is possible to remedy and to what degree)
How are the fees assessed? Conservators guestimate the number of hours needed to complete the work (based on their past experience).
Word of caution: Find out if your conservator has insurance and if so, how much and what are the limitations of their coverage. If they do not, call your insurance company to find out their position on insuring your property while it is in the hands of a conservator.
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