Page 9 - George O'Hanlon
George O’Hanlon is the technical director of Natural Pigments, and executive director of Iconofile, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting understanding of sacred art. George received his fine arts education and apprenticeship in Mexico. Upon return to the United States, he worked as creative director for advertising agencies in Silicon Valley, working on such major accounts as Sony, Hewlett-Packard, and Ricoh. He founded an agency later acquired by the chemical giant, Shin-Etsu. There he served as vice-president of U.S. marketing. In 1992, he studied traditional art techniques abroad. Then in 2001, co-founded Iconofile and in 2003 Natural Pigments to promote an understanding of these practices. Since that time he has formulated hundreds of artists’ paints and materials, including Ceracolors, a waterborne wax paint.
- March 30, 2017 3440
Tempera is a method of painting with pigments dispersed in a binder that is miscible with water such as egg yolk, casein, gum, or hide glue. This article examines the type of supports used today for tempera and the best practice of preparing them for tempera paint using a new ground, Tempera Ground, made by Natural Pigments...
- February 04, 2017 860
It is an old saying that rules are meant to be broken. No one did this more successfully than Rembrandt. For instance, the rich red in the tablecloth in the Syndics is obtained by glazing a translucent red over brown instead of a brighter red. Rules are meant to be broken, but it is necessary to know them first. Read more about these painting rules...
- January 24, 2017 3264
For over a hundred years, most of the causes of cracking have been explored: humidity and temperature, expansion and contraction, stress, and paint embrittlement. The symptoms were obvious—cracking and paint loss—but the causes were not clearly understood. In 1982, Marion Mecklenburg and other scientists at the Smithsonian Institute reported the first systematic explanation of painting mechanics, especially that of canvas paintings...
- January 24, 2017 569
This rule appears to confuse so many artists or is ignored completely by others. Perhaps a better way to express the rule "always paint fat on lean" is always paint a slower-drying paint film over a faster-drying film. Think about the last applied paint film being more flexible than the paint film underneath. Another way to clarify this rule is to add a little more oil in the last application of paint than was included in the paint layer just covered or not to dilute with solvent the last applied layer any more than the previous one was thinned...
- January 24, 2017 975
A whitish surface appearance on oil paintings is a phenomenon of modern oil paintings. While such hazes have traditionally been described by painters as blooming or blanching, the nomenclature has not yet caught up with the different causes. Other terms currently used are efflorescence, exudation, fatty acid deposit or migration, saponification, crystallization, chalking, mold, and ghost images...
- September 01, 2016 1288
Natural Pigments spent years developing a technical workshop to teach skills that are not taught in art schools and universities—a thorough understanding of artists’ materials and tools, what they are designed to do, when to choose them and how to provide considerable longevity to your finished work. This workshop covers the most important aspects of painting that have proven to be the best practices over the centuries...
- June 02, 2016 658
It is no coincidence that the palette in the self-portrait by Michael Sweerts is practically identical to the palette described in detail by Roger de Piles in his 1684 book Les Premiers Elémens de Peinture Pratique. Sweerts was a contemporary of de Piles, and it appears that his palette was laid out in the manner practiced throughout western Europe in the 17th century...
- March 24, 2016 17305
An unvarnished painting is vulnerable to dirt and dust that will eventually become embedded in the paint. It is also subject to deterioration caused by ultraviolet light, oxidation, and abrasion from handling and transport. A varnish can protect the painting from dirt, ultraviolet light, and abrasion. Applying varnish to your painting is important to maintain its appearance and value. If you decide to apply a varnish to your painting, you must decide on the type of varnish, method of application, and desired final appearance. The following discussion can help you make the right choice for your artwork...
- February 26, 2016 620
I have been working with Rublev Colours Artist Oils for several years. So much so that my palette is nearly entirely comprised of their colors, and for my students, you can buy the colors on the palette that I use in my workshops. This is for students who wish to use my full or limited palette. The list of materials is an integral part of my working palette, and it has been selected for fast drying time so that your progress in the workshop may run smoothly without the added difficulty of having to work over still-wet or tacky paint. You will notice many earth colors, umbers, and lead pigments. The oils that bind these pigments and that will be used as a medium also exemplify quick drying times...
- February 16, 2016 430
If you’re interested in Rublev Colours Artist Oils or were thinking about buying my paint set, this video will acquaint you with how I prepare my palette. Many of the colors require some personalization before I use them. You'll see it in the video...
