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Painting has been around since the cave man executed his animals and hunters on the cold damp cave walls. He also ran head long into the same problems we have as artists, that being materials. One of his biggest problems was finding a paint to flow and stick. In other words it had to flow onto the wall then stick to the wall. Next, it could not run or drip and it shouldn’t fade. It should also blend and mix easily. He did it. He used spit, mud, berries or such for color and he chewed and maybe spit it on the wall (Brushes? Yeah) or he used his hands. This all depends on who’s research you believe. But they are still on the walls sooo? Altimira cave painting

His other problem was color. Same as us, what color is right, bright enough, transparent, opaque, thick, thin, and finally exasperation! So many problems and yet he never quit. The was driven and this is the other characteristic of painters and painting. We tend to be driven, maybe compulsive or obsessive to a degree, but we just want to get it right.

Well, if you see them as problems they are problems. Or they are challenges and those need to be solved.

Notice I did not say mistakes because what is a mistake but a challenge. Over time, the science of color became a real thing, an occupation if you will, science. Check out Sir Issac Newton. Color is the reflection of light. Issac Newton's breaking down of light into color

So what is involved in this science of color. First, theory, color theory and this is where the painter’s

Intuitive sight plays apart over non- painters. Maybe this is what separates artist and non- artist. Issac Newton's color wheel

Let’s break down color theory. Wolf Kahn

Primary, red, yellow and blue Matisse

Secondary, orange, green and purple Matisse

Complementary, orange/blue, purple/yellow and green/red Hans Hoffman

Tints and shades, white and black

George Innes Analogous color, colors next to each other on the color wheel, red/orange green/blue, yellow green

Tertiary color, mixing a secondary with a primary, also called an intermediate color

The intensity and value of a color is measured on a value scale. Hans Hoffman

Neutrals are grays, mix complements and you get neutrals

Color Scheme color that work together

Monochromatic color one color plus a tint and shade

Analogous color scheme: A color scheme based on colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. The title above explains it all

A color scheme for weddings with color and how it will be used.

Complementary color scheme: A color scheme based on the use of two complementary colors.

Split complementary color scheme: A color scheme that uses three colors—a color and the two colors on either side of it’s complement (for example: green, red violet and red orange). Franz Marc Triadic color scheme: A color scheme that uses three colors that are equally spaced around the color wheel (for example: red orange, yellow green, and blue violet). The primary colors form a triad. The secondary colors form a triad.

And for now that is enough about color except???? Speaking of value and its importance……..

The value of color is its lightness and darkness. It is also a measure of colors’ emotional content, this being what color says, its affects on you or your state of mind. Franz Kline

There is also color’s intensity its brightness. It is measured on an intensity scale and only involves itself with a color’s brightness.

*Painting is a wet medium, a liquid or semi liquid with changing viscosity.

*It is oil, acrylic, watercolour, even chalk pastel.

*It is pigments, binders and fillers. The more pigment the better the color. The more binder the less color, the more filler, well cheap, cheap, cheap.

*History

At one point before the mid 1800’s painters had to make their paint by mixing pigment and binders using a mortise and pedestal. Some artists even made their brushes. The Windsor Newton Art Company 1832 started making art supplies because they saw a need. They started to put paint into lead tubes 1841. This process was invented by John Rand, an American. He took it to France and the French actually started using lead tubes and refined the early manufacturing process. No more carrying glass bottles when painting Plein Aire.

The skill of painting is a learned skill, a craft if you will. You can go to school if you like. That buys you time and instructors, but the real learning starts when you work in your studio everyday. When you start looking at paintings and painters and you start to ask questions and do research and you start putting 2 and 2 together. Then you go back and do it all again. No difference than playing an instrument.

Kind of kills the romance doesn’t it? At some point the artist asked why to I paint?

*What do I paint?

*What is the point if I have nothing to say?

*What does it mean to be a painter or artist that paints?

*Style Morris Louis

The style you choose to work in might answer some of the above questions. Van Gogh asked them and by working aggressively constantly he figured it out for himself. He also wrote to his brother Theo so, he worked his search out that way. Monet had to go through the same thing, as did every other artist that had integrity and soul. What they had to say maybe was not earth shattering assumptions. Maybe they did not tell us about morality or eternity or answer questions about God and Man and Woman. But maybe they asked the questions that no one else would or that everyone else thought.

Van Gogh *So what is painting?

Alma Thomas It is the act of applying paint to a canvas or board or wall or flat surface or even a textured surface. The painter uses paint of some kind. The paint is applied in many different ways, a brush being the most traditional, but cans, hands, sticks etc. even very large floor brooms and dripping or throwing it from buckets has been used. Sam Gilliam

*Each period in history seems to have had its painterly style that seems to suggest that painting has something to do with the social conditions of mankind, be they overtly political or abstract or whatever the predominating culture is projecting. It is important to understand that nearly all art styles have a direct or indirect link to the social condition of mankind. It is not created in a vacuum. Anne Truitt *I will not venture into the chemistry of paint, which has also changed due to artists needs and the market. There is a reason though that paint is classified as a wet medium.

So painting is a wet medium, that has many different means of application. Painting styles are tied directly or indirectly to the social conditions of mankind.

*The art market creates masterpieces, artist just paint.

*The art market has created great artists meaning that these artists made a dealer money. This may sound like sour grapes, but there are hundreds of us that paint and we will never be famous or rich. But we live to paint. What does this say about painters or artists in general?

*Historically, society does not support art or artists, Especially in this country. So why do it?

Phil Guston

*In most cases there is a process to making a painting, steps the artist goes through.

*Painters not concerned with art history are doomed to fail. One does not have to go to college to learn nor does one have to reinvent the color wheel. Looking and copying and stealing is not cheating. It is a requirement to learning. The deal is completed when the artist doing the stealing learns how to use what is stolen to make his or her art better because of “the Booty.”

*In the world of painting, making money is nice, but it is not a means of success.

Wayne Theibaud

Questions to consider

1) Painting is a lot of stuff, yeah? Name some of this stuff. 2) Why is painting considered a skill? 3) Wet medium What? 4) Repeat the brief history of tube paints. 5) Why would paint need a VISCOSITY? 6) The art Market creates masterpieces? What do you mean? Do I have a chance? 7) You mean I can Cheat? Explain. 8) Why is the painter that is not cognizant of his crafts history doomed to fail? 9) How do you fell about supporting the arts? 10) You wake up and catch some one painting the side of your house. They defend themselves by cryin back at you but its art! It’s graffiti My statement, my 1st amendment right. Your reaction and justification please.

__** You are required to, **__ * Come to class ready to work * Check Canvas for assignments etc... * Clean up after yourself and your table. Brushes must be washed clean * Respect the materials * DO NOT waste the paint * Failing to do any of these will result in as strict a consequence as I can come up with * Should you need something to do with class email me. do not wait until after a due date. * DO YOUR HOMEWORK * all assignments will have a cut a cut off date * remember, this is a class. I will teach you painting and some history. Your responsibility is to learn. I am one of those "serious teachers" so, if you are coming in to play or goof off or kill time, then you are in the wrong class.