Source: Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts, Fourth Edition, by Debra J. DeWitte, Ralph M. Larmann, and M. Kathryn Shields
Copyright: 2022 Thames & Hudson
Introduction to Painting
Composition: Paint is composed of two primary components:
Pigment: The color component extracted from various sources including:
Minerals
Soils
Vegetable matter
Animal by-products
Binder: The medium that holds the pigment, historically consists of:
Beeswax
Egg yolk
Vegetable oils and gums
Water
Polymers
Historical Context: The First Paintings
Location: Significant discoveries of cave paintings have been made in
Southern Sulawesi, Indonesia
Technique:
Pigment was applied using a small tube
Subject Matter:
Predominantly animal imagery, along with some depictions of humans
Specific Artwork: Cave Paintings
Artwork Reference: Cave paintings from Leang Tedongnge
Estimated Date: c. 45,500 years ago
Material: Red ocher pigment
Techniques Used:
Blowing or brushing pigment solution onto stone cave walls
Potential use of brushes during the application process
Painting Techniques
Encaustic
Process:
Mixing pigments with hot wax and applying quickly
Application methods include brushes, palette knives, rags, or pouring
Requires a stiff-backed support
Historical Usage: Employed by ancient Greeks and Romans
Artist’s Tools: Common Brush Types
Round Brush: Used for sketching and thinned paint applications, can be rolled for special effects
Filbert Brush: Suitable for applying color, with short bristles for control and softened edges
Flat Brush: Ideal for long strokes and sharp edges
Bright Brush: For controlled detailing and color application
Fan Brush: Used for blending and softening edges
Palette Knife: A tool for mixing and applying paint
Artwork Examples
Portrait of a Boy
Date: c. 100–150 CE
Medium: Encaustic on wood
Size: 15⅜ × 7½"
Historical Context:
Functioned as a funerary adornment, showcasing naturalistic likenesses of the deceased, part of the Fayum portraits group found in Egypt
Mary Black, Natura 9
Artwork Details:
Date: 2015
Medium: Encaustic, oil stick, graphite, ink, and Sheetrock tape on panel
Size: 10 × 10"
Technique Used: Process of destruction and creation, layering materials for a spontaneous effect
Fresco Technique
Description:
Painting technique involving the application of pigment mixed with water onto freshly applied plaster
Examples: Earliest frescoes date back to Crete, c. 1600–1500 BCE
Types:
Buon fresco: More permanent and durable
Fresco secco: Dry fresco finish
Example Artwork: Michelangelo’s The Libyan Sibyl
Date: 1511–12
Medium: Fresco, part of the Sistine Chapel ceiling
Technique: Buon fresco method; artist used strategic approaches to hide seams of separate work days
Andrea Mantegna, Camera degli Sposi
Description:
Painted trompe-l'œil ceiling using the buon fresco method
Created the illusion of figures looking down from above
Introduced an oculus, a round ceiling opening
Modern and Mixed Techniques
Tempera
Composition: Egg as a binding agent; dries quickly upon application
Historical Usage: Earliest examples found in Egyptian tombs
Ink Painting
Description: Commonly employed on paper with a binder (e.g., gum arabic)
Watercolor and Gouache
Composition: Pigment in water with a sticky binder
Watercolor is transparent; white areas are unpainted paper
Gouache includes chalk, resulting in an opaque finish
Examples of Contemporary Artists
Julie Mehretu, Excerpt (Suprematist Evasion)
Date: 2003
Technique: Uses layers in acrylic painting, integrating other media
Robert Rauschenberg, Bed
Technique: Mixed media with actual bedding as canvas, emphasizes physicality
Conclusion
Artistic practices in painting have evolved significantly, blending historical techniques with contemporary methods, encouraging exploration in mixed-media and community collaborations.
Spray painting, murals, and mixed-media painting have become prominent forms of art, reflecting socio-political narratives and community engagement through artistic expression.