Question: How often do they repaint the steel on the iconic Golden Gate Bridge? Answer: Every day, non-stop, repainting areas of corrosion (28 painters). Painting metal, especially metals exposed to variable environmental conditions is not something even our most advanced coating systems can stand up to over time, measured not in decades but in just … Read more
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We all get tripped up and surprised sometimes. Even the simplest description can set in motion assumptions that lead us to expect one thing only to be sitting there, moments later, head slightly tilted, a quizzical glance showing equal parts frustration and fascination. Which is where we found ourselves a few years back when testing a variety of … Read more
The Material Specialists here at Golden Artist Colors are often requested by artists to diagnose the reasoning for problems occurring in their paintings based solely upon their words used to guide us. One of the most common emails or calls require the understanding of whether the artist is discussing a crack versus a craze … Read more
Plaster has been decorated with paint since its earliest known usage back in 7500 B.C. Jordan. The rather simple mixture of lime powder, crushed limestone and water was used to achieve smooth walls for interior wall decoration. Ancient Egyptian builders employed calcined (heated) gypsum into their plaster, which improved the functional use. The duel use … Read more
GAC 400 is used to stiffen fabric or paper made from natural fibers. It is a water-borne acrylic that dries to a hard, stiff film. One good coat that soaks in well should be enough to stiffen the material. It can be used to replace rabbit skin glue for stiffening linen and canvas in preparation … Read more
Large paintings present an increased difficulty level when it comes time to apply an “isolation coat” or a varnish layer. Spraying in lieu of brushing makes sense when a smooth, defect-free surface is desired. After all, there are reasons vehicles are spray painted instead of using a brush! While one may be receptive to the … Read more
Any Matte or Semi-Gloss medium or Gel Medium can impart a waxy look. The specific manner in which it is applied can also increase or decrease this effect. It can be helpful to test with several mediums or gels on sacrificial pieces until you get a feel for the mediums or gels and application techniques that … Read more
A foray into printmaking using OPEN Acrylics as the primary printing ink and because the possibilities don’t stop there, a few experiments with High Flow Acrylics and QoR© Watercolors as inks. This foray is by no means comprehensive, but rather a journey of possibilities and experimentation. Our adventure begins with OPEN Acrylics as our “ink.” … Read more
Artists have been using plastics as a substrate for their work since their development as a consumer material. Early plastics were heralded with such acclaim that they were awarded special honors during the London 1862 World’s Fair. These nitrocellulose plastics were used in constructions by artists Naum Gabo and Antoine Pevsner in their work of … Read more
By Vaikunt Raghavan, Ph.D. Basics of Wetting and Adhesion When a liquid comes into contact with any solid, new interfaces or boundaries are generated between these dissimilar materials. Although many factors exist which will promote or inhibit adhesion of the acrylic paint onto the solid plastic, the most important element is the ability of the … Read more