Various Types of Art Materials

Description: Pigments are created by grinding up various minerals from the earth, or synthetic chemicals into a powder. Pigment powder is then mixed with a binder, such as oil for oil paints, gum arabi or tragacanth for water color paints, a synthetic resin like acrylic for acrylic paints, etc. The binder suspends the pigment particles in itself to allow the artist to apply the color onto a canvas.

Uses: Pigment powder is used in the making of most paints, from oils to waters to acrylics.

Facts: Pigments can be made from earth minerals such as chalk (white), burnt wood (black), clay (earth shades), cinnabar (red), realgar (orange), azurite (blue), orpiment (yellow), and malachite (green). At one point, the Romans were using the whelk to achieve Tyrian purple and purposely corroding copper plates for a green called verdigris. In 1200 A.D., the Arabs discovered ultramarine by a method of extracting blue particles from the semi-precious lapis lazuli stone. The Egyptians produced the first two synthetic chemical pigments Blue frit and White lead. Blue frit is said to have been achieved through an alteration of ceramics, and White lead by controlling the corrosion of metallic lead. These two colors disappeared between 200 and 700 A.D. Nowadays, pigments are most often chemically synthesised, though, and the artists no longer have to grind their own.

How to use: Generally, pigment powder is placed onto a surface such as glass, and then mixed with its binder until the consistency is satisfactory. For example, when mixing oil paint, a pallette knife is used to mix in the binder and a muller is used to ensure a thorough mixing. Also, a diluent such as water or turbpentine can be added to thin the paint to the artists desire.

Description: All paints consist of three different components: colored pigment particles (usually in powder form), the binder, and a diluent such as water or turpentine. The pigment particles are where the paint gets its color from. The binder (such as an oil for oil paints and gum arabic or tragacanth for water color paint) suspends the pigment particles in itself, and thus allows the artist to place the pigment color where desired. A substance like water or turpentine thins the consistency of the paint, allowing the artist to control the effect through opaque, matt or gloss results.

Uses: Artists use paint to depict ideas through use of its color and consistency.

Facts: Painting has been a long standing medium for all humans throughout the world and every culture.

How to use: Typically, paint is placed onto a canvas of varying sorts through the use of a brush, but just about anything from humans to animals to other inanimate objects have been used through the course of history to apply paint and/or be used as a canvas.

Warnings: I in no way condone the use of animals for paint brushes or canvas.

Description: Synthetic canvas is quite possibly the canvas of the future for painters everywhere. However, its flaws and potentials are still being tested. The most concern at the moment is the possibility of becoming brittle as they age. The advantages are clear color, light weight, and resistance to chemical reaction. Synthetic canvas is made from nylon, orlon, or plastic sailcloth.

Uses: Synthetic canvas is often used for oil painting.

How to use: A synthetic canvas called Ployflex is available in the United States. This comes already primed with acrylic primer. It costs one-third less than the best linen canvas. Otherwise, synthetic canvas requires being primed and stretched like any other canvas.

Description: Various types of metal are perhaps some of the most unique surfaces to paint on. Great care must be taken in its preservation after painting, as few metal paintings have survived the wear and tear of age.

Uses: A metal support can be used for oil painting instead of a canvas such as linen or cotton.

How to use: Although metal does not require primer, it does require sanding, otherwise it will not hold the paint.

Description: Paper is a flimsy, but potentially usable support for painting. Rough water color paper is generally used. Oiled parchment or gelatin-sized plain paper is also common.

Uses: A paper support can be used for oil painting instead of a canvas such as linen or cotton.

How to use: Paper is generally glued to hardboard and ideally sized with casein glue but shellac varnish is also usable.

Description: Cardboard is a good support, and is very different than canvas or wood. It does, however, have the tendency to warp easily and grow fungus and bacteria. For this reason, it should not be used for pictures desired to last a long time. Still, it is well liked for its warm, earthy brown color.

Uses: A cardboard support can be used for oil painting instead of a canvas such as linen or cotton.

How to use: Cardboard needs to be sized on both sides and cradled to prevent warping.

Description: Essex board is a laminated cardboard generally purchased in large sheets.

Uses: An essex board support can be used for oil painting instead of a canvas such as linen or cotton.

How to use: Essex board is best used if both sides of it are sized. It makes an even better support if muslin is glued to it with glue size.

Description: Chipboard panels are thick and a good deal better support than wood or plywood, as they seem to warp less, and thus do not require cradling. The downside is that the edges and corners tend to crumble.

Uses: A chipboard support can be used for oil painting instead of a canvas such as linen or cotton.

How to use: A chipboard is made from wood chippings that are pressed in resinous or oily binders, or from pressed wood fibre, so they need to be well primed. Also, muslin glued to the chipboard with glue size makes a really good support.

Description: Mahogany-faced plywood makes a good support because it has a sound textured surface, and does not crack like regular wood. However, it can still warp.

Uses: A plywood support can be used for oil painting instead of a canvas such as linen or cotton.

How to use: Plywood should be at least eight ply, and certainly no less than five ply. It should receive two coats of size, and be cradled to prevent warping.

Description: Wood is a complex material to use for painting, as it does not absorb liquid or dry evenly, thus causing warping and cracking. Very well-aged woods, and especially mahogany, are the best way to go.

Uses: A wood support can be used for oil painting instead of a canvas such as linen or cotton.

How to use: If used, wood should be at least one inch thick. It should also be cradled to prevent warping.

Description: Hessian canvas is a very coarsely woven material, and as such requires a great deal of priming. It is prone to becoming brittle and lifeless, which spoils the quality of a painting.

Uses: Hessian canvas is often used for oil painting.

How to use: Hessian canvas must be primed (with a primer such as acrylic gesso) and stretched by fitting it into a stretcher. Stretchers are available in many different lengths to make just about any rectangular size.

Description: Linen-cotten mix canvas is made from a mixture of linen and cotten material. The combination of two different materials causes the individual components of a paint to absorb differently. For example, when using oil paint, the ground, oil and pigment will absorb to different degrees, causing distortion in the picture.

Uses: Linen-cotton mix canvas is often used for oil painting.

How to use: Linen-cotten mix canvas must be primed (with a primer such as acrylic gesso) and stretched by fitting it into a stretcher. Stretchers are available in many different lengths to make just about any rectangular size.

Description: Cotton is popular to use as a canvas as it is cheaper than linen. But, its weaves stretch poorer, do not take primer as well, and it is flimsy and flat in appearance. However, a ready-primed cotton canvas is the best alternative to linen.

Uses: Cotton canvas is often used for oil painting.

How to use: Cotton canvas must be primed (with a primer such as acrylic gesso) and stretched by fitting it into a stretcher. Stretchers are available in many different lengths to make just about any rectangular size.

Description: Linen is a popular, but expensive canvas. The best kind of linen has closely woven threads at right angles and is free of knots. Linen crash is cheaper than pure linen, but contains knots. Linen scrim has a wider weave, but needs much more primer, unless the wide weave is part of the picture.

Uses: Linen canvas is used especially for oil painting, which it is described as being the best canvas for oil after being properly stretched and primed.

How to use: Linen canvas must be primed (with a primer such as acrylic gesso) and stretched by fitting it into a stretcher. Stretchers are available in many different lengths to make just about any rectangular size.

Also known as: Oils

Description: Oil paint is made out of a dry color pigment powder mixed with one or more of several drying vegetable oils, usually linseed or poppy oil. The proportion of oil to a thinner, such as turpentine, causes a range of qualities to the paint, such as opaque, matt or gloss.

Facts: These oils dry more slowly than any other media, because they do not evaporate, but instead oxidize. The oxidization process produces a unique depth and richness unlike most other media. Also, the color value changes little in the drying process, but over time, it tends to yellow slightly.

How to use: Oil paints these days are typically used on a canvas of linen, cotton, linen-cotton mixtures, or hessian. Linen is the best, but the most expensive. The canvas must be stretched with the use of stretchers, which come in a variety of sizes. The stretching makes it possible for the canvas to absorb the oil paint. Other than canvas, a support such as wood, metal (generally sanded to provide a rough absorbant surface), composition boards, cardboard, or paper can also be used as long as it is primed with a suitable ground. Brushes include anywhere from basic ones such as brights, rounds, filberts, and flats to the more unique chisel-edges, badger blenders, and fan brushes.

Warnings: Brushes used with oil paint must be worked cleaned with a solvent such as turpentine or white spirit. If a brush is left to dry with oil paint on it, it can be cleaned with a paint stripper, although doing this too often will destroy the brush. Conversely, leaving a brush in a solvent for any length of time will also damage it.