News From the Artist: (Sept-Oct 2006 Issue)
FAQs - Frequently Asked Art Questions
Artists never fail to fascinate other mere mortals. However, few realize
that artists can be born but not necessarily made! All it takes is technique,
which can be taught. Then a thinking brain completes the art product.
A brilliant artist once remarked: So-and-so is so skilled at painting
and drawing; he needs to have his hands cut off so he can USE his brain.
Q: Aside from pencil and charcoal what can be
used for preliminary sketches on canvas?
A. Charcoal, pencil or chalk are good for
sketches. Spray fixative so they won't "bleed" in with oil
or acylic color pigments.
Oil pastels may also be used to start an oil painting, then blended
with a brush using turpentine or any oil painting medium.
Some experienced artists sketch with a brush. Raw umber for sketching
is a very "friendly mixer" especiially when doing oil.
Q: Watercolor seems the hardest medium to work
with. Can watery acrylic be used like watercolor?
A: When artists learn techniques for each material, NO medium is difficult
to work with. Acrylic when thinned, can be used as wash, like watercolor.
But once it dries, a fresh layer of paint is needed to finish or alter
the painting.
Watercolor can be thinned and reworked with brush and water.
Q: Why are some paintings framed under glass?
A: All art work that use paper support need to be under glass, with
matting. All materials must be acid-free to preserve quality. Oil and
acrylic paintings are framed without glass.
Q: How long will it take for me, a beginner
-- to learn to paint?
A. Beginners oftentimes are easier to teach since they
start fresh. A small painting in acrylic may be finished on a first
3-hour session .
Have an Art Question? E-mail the artist. (The artist reserves the right to publish all Qs received)