Exploring Art Techniques and Materials: A Comprehensive Guide
Exploring Art Techniques and Materials
1. Supports in Art
1.1. Material Properties of Supports
The materials that form a support give it a series of qualities such as absorption, flexibility, transparency, and texture. Examples include:
- Absorbent: Paper, cardboard, plaster walls
- Flexible: Paper, cardboard, fabric
- Rigid: Walls, wood, ceramic
- Transparent: Plastic wrap, celluloid, acetate
- Opaque: Cloth, wood, paper, walls
- Smooth: Satin and smooth papers and cardboards
- Textured: Rough papers, walls, wood
1.2. Formal Properties of Supports – Shape
The shape of the support is closely related to the composition of the artwork. A rectangular format has two possible positions:
- Vertical: Creates a sense of verticality.
- Horizontal: Creates a sense of rest and stability.
1.3. Standardized Formats
Universal sizes have been adopted to unify formats, benefiting the industry and fabrication of various objects. In painting, sizes are indicated by a number corresponding to three rectangular formats obtained by reducing the longest side of a base rectangle. Common formats include Figure (F), Landscape (P), and Marine (M).
2. Common Supports: Paper, Wood, Fabric
The weight of paper is measured in grams per square meter (gsm):
- Paper: 70 to 180 gsm
- Cardboard: 180 to 250 gsm
- Cardboard: 250 to 400 gsm
- Cardboard: Over 400 gsm
3. Introduction to Pictorial Procedures
Paint is composed of two basic elements: pigments and binders.
- Pigments: Substances of various colors obtained from minerals, vegetables, or synthetic materials.
- Binders: Elements that hold pigments together and adhere them to the support.
3.1. Traditional Painting Procedures
Traditional painting procedures can be classified based on their luminosity:
- Pastel: The most luminous procedure due to the absence of a binder. Pigments are mixed with a slight amount of gum arabic for cohesion.
- Fresco: A technique used since ancient times, particularly for murals. The support is a wall, and the binder is lime.
- Watercolor: Uses water as a diluent and gum arabic as a binder.
- Gouache: Similar to watercolor but with additional fillers, making it more opaque.
- Tempera: An ancient technique using egg yolk as a binder, often mixed with water and linseed oil.
- Glue Tempera: Uses various types of glue as binders, such as rabbit skin glue, fish glue, or casein.
- Vinyl and Acrylic Paints: Synthetic polymers used as binders, offering durability and versatility.
- Oil Painting: Developed in the 15th century, using linseed oil as a binder, creating a flexible, tough, and insoluble film.
- Encaustic (Wax): An ancient technique using colored waxes as a medium.
- Collage: A technique that involves assembling different materials to create a composition.
4. Diverse Materials in Art
While artists used to make their own materials, today, commercially available options offer convenience and quality. However, it’s important to use appropriate tools and materials in good condition.
- Brushes: Made from animal hair, varying in flexibility, hardness, and shape depending on the technique and medium.
- Airbrush: A tool that sprays paint using compressed air, often used in graphic design.
- Graphite Pencils: Made of graphite encased in wood, offering various degrees of hardness and darkness.
- Charcoal Pencils: Provide a rich, intense black, suitable for chiaroscuro drawings.
- Sepia Pencils: Produce a dark brown line, often used for sketches and portraits.
- Sanguine Pencils: Create a warm red line, also used for portraits and figure drawing.
- Colored Pencils: Offer a wide range of colors and possibilities for artistic expression.
- Crayons: Contain a higher concentration of fat, making them easy to spread and blend. They require a fixative to prevent smudging.
- Charcoal: Sticks of carbonized wood, willow, or vine, used for sketches and creating chiaroscuro effects.
- Oil Pastels: Similar to pastels but with an oil binder, allowing for blending and layering.
- Chalk: Made from powdered calcite mixed with gum arabic.
- Wax Crayons: Applied by rubbing on the support with varying pressure.
- Ink: Used since ancient times, available in various colors and forms.
- Pens: Tools for applying ink, ranging from traditional dip pens to modern fountain pens.
5. Dry Drawing Techniques
5.1. Pencil
Pencils are essential for developing expressive compositions. Early drawings were made with silverpoint, a rod made of lead and tin. Graphite pencils were developed later, offering a wider range of tones and possibilities.
5.2. Charcoal
Charcoal is a versatile medium for sketches and creating a wide range of tones. It can be easily blended and erased. Different types of charcoal include:
- Charcoal Sticks: Available in various thicknesses and degrees of hardness.
- Compressed Charcoal: Charcoal powder mixed with a binder and compressed into sticks, offering a denser black.
- Oil Charcoal: Charcoal sticks soaked in oil, providing a smoother and darker line.
- Charcoal Pencils: Encased charcoal, offering more control and precision.
Additional tools used with charcoal include fixatives to prevent smudging and stumps for blending and softening lines.
5.3. Pastels
Pastels are made of pure pigment with minimal binder, offering vibrant colors and a soft texture. They require a fixative to prevent smudging. Pastel techniques include:
- Scumbling: Applying vigorous strokes of pastel on a blurred background.
- Impasto: Layering pastels to create a thick and textured surface.
- Mixed Media: Combining pastels with other materials, such as charcoal or watercolor.
Pastels should be stored in dry places to prevent damage from moisture and mold.
6. Conclusion
Exploring different art techniques and materials is essential for artistic growth and expression. Understanding the properties and possibilities of each medium allows artists to create unique and captivating works of art.