Category: Information

A History of Acrylic Painting

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Echo Of A Scream

Acrylic painting is a relatively modern medium in painting. Acrylic offers versatility, immediacy, and durability. Acrylic is known for producing bright colors, sharp lines, can be used on various surfaces, and it can be mixed with other media. It gives artists different approaches to express one’s creativity.

Here is a brief history of acrylic painting:

1901
In 1901, a well-known German chemist, Dr. Otto Rohm developed the first synthetic acrylic resin.  He published his dissertation on the polymerization products of acrylic acids. Rohm secured in 1915 a patent for polyacrylic ester as a paint binder used in drying oils in industrial paints and lacquers. Initially intended for industrial use, acrylics caught the attention of artists due to its features: quick drying, adheres to any surface, even sheen, and no base coat necessary.

1920s-1930s
Mexican muralists explored these synthetic mediums and experimented with acrylic paints. In 1936, David Alfaro Siqueiros, a Mexican muralist founded a workshop in New York City to experiment with acrylics and its different methods of applications. He used acrylics in his famous painting, Echo of a Scream, in 1937. Jackson Pollock attended Siquerios’ workshop and later used synthetic gloss enamel paints in his art which uses dripping and pouring techniques.

1940s
Acrylics were made available to modern painters. Leonard Bocour and Sam Golden offered mineral spirit-based paints called Magna. Well-known artists including Barrett Newman and Mark Rothko experimented with acrylics in painting.

1950s
Rohm and Otto Haas introduced the first acrylic emulsion specifically designed for paints. It became the foundation for all contemporary artists’ acrylic emulsions. By 1955, water-based acrylic paints were made available commercially on the market.

1960s
UK art supplier George Rowney first introduced the brand “Cryla,” and artist’s acrylic color.

20th century
Acrylics became the center of modern art movements and form. This is the time when artists were exploring pop culture, photorealism, abstract expressionism, and pop art. American artists such as Andy Warhol and Helen Frankenthaler were attracted to acrylics since it provided an ideal medium for these movements. Acrylics provided artists limtless artistic expression and creativity. Artists can achieve different textures, consistencies, and color depths.

Image source: www.wikipaintings.org

Why Buy Canvas Art Supplies in Bulk?

shipping-blank-canvasesAs a struggling artist, you are always in the lookout on how to get canvas art supplies at less costs but without sacrificing quality of the items. One advice that you can consider is buying in bulk. Carefully choose which art supplies you want to buy in bulk to avoid having too much of an item which would just collect dust in your studio. You may be put off by the upfront cost but here are the advantages of buying wholesale:

1. Less cost per unit. Bulk buying is economical in the long run. If you compute the price of an item bought in wholesale, you will see that it is cheaper than when you buy the same item per piece. Bulk buying means you are not paying for each item’s individual packaging, labels, advertising, etc. This savings adds up money to your wallet and you can get cheaper deals when buying in bulk.

2. Environmentally-friendly. In line with number 1, bulk items lessen the impact on the environment. Manufacturing every piece of art supply takes enormous energy and resources, from packaging to storing. The Environmental Protection Agency revealed that we generate about 80 million tons of waste every year. All the boxes, containers, and cans which we throw end up in landfills, and you can help Mother Nature by buying in bulk since you reduce waste from getting to these landfills.

3. Save time. Bulk buying also means fewer trips to the art store. It can be annoying when inspiration strikes but you can’t start painting because you don’t have all the supplies you need in your studio. You’ll have most of what you need at hand so you not only save your time, you also save gas money and wear on your car. Instead of spending your time in the store, you spend it in engaging in your artistic and creative pursuits.

Tips for buying in bulk:

  • Organize your inventory. List the art supplies which you frequently use (canvas, paints, turpentine, etc.). You can also use this task to free some space in your studio for the items which you will be buying in bulk.
  • Check out art supply stores about their wholesale policies. Inspect the items which you can buy in bulk and see at which store you can get the most savings.
  • If your local art store offers a membership card since you’re buying in wholesale, you might want to consider getting one. This card can give you future discounts and incentives.

Shipping Canvas Arts

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Shipping your canvas art may be a bit tricky. You have to deal about your work’s safety, security, packaging, etc. If it’s your first time to deliver a piece to a gallery or your customer, here is a list of shipping companies offering several services in packing, transporting, and even storing art pieces. Not all carriers are listed but this list should give you an idea where to start.

Artex Inc. Artex is one of the country’s largest fine art service provider. Founded in 1990, the company employs museum-trained professionals and specialists to provide a comprehensive range of services in art shipment. Artex has offices in Washington D.C., New York, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, and Los Angeles.

Artworks San Diego. Artworks San Diego offers a full range of high quality art handling services. Art specialists are trained to safeguard art pieces and they have contingency plans for almost any problems that may come up while transporting the items.

Atelier 4. Atelier 4 has 20 years in the art shipping industry. Its flagship operation was established in 1989. Atelier 4 manages a 65,000 sq.ft. secure facility with climate controlled storage rooms for individual pieces or entire collections.

Atthowe Fine Art Services. Atthowe Fine Art Services is a third-generation business operating its facilities in Oakland, California. It has custom-designed warehouses which are temperature and humidity controlled. It provides services mainly in California and the western states.

Cookes Crating Inc. Cookes Crating is one of the country’s oldest and most trusted fine arts shipping company. It specializes in crating, shipping, installing, and storing fine art. It serves the art shipment needs of museums, galleries, and collectors for more than 35 years.

Crown Fine Art. Crown Fine Art specializes in the transportation, installation, and preservation of art works. It provides services to museums, art galleries, collectors, and auction houses. The company operates several offices including in the US, UK, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, and the Middle East.

Dietl International. Dietl International offers world-class international logistics solutions for complex shipping situations, including shipping museum-quality art works. Merging with Rock-it Cargo USA, LLC in 2008 strengthened its position in the logistics industry, acquiring additional resources such as in-house Carnet service, additional air and ocean routes, and specialized equipment.

Nippon Express. Nippon Express has transported the world’s most priceless masterpieces including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. The company has professionals in handling, packaging, and transporting these priceless items.

Racine Berkow Associates. Racine Berkow Associates is a global freight forwarder specializing in fine art transport and handling services. It provides services to museums, art galleries, and private collectors. RBA has offices in New York and Washington D.C.

Stebich Ridder International, Inc. Steibich Ridder is headquartered in New York City, co-founded by fine art handling expert Oliver Stebich, and industry veteran Katrin Ridder. The company utilizes the latest technologies and state-of-the-art handling solutions.

Image source: www.crownfineart.com

Hotels for Art Lovers

There are numerous museums all over the world and it seems that whenever there is a museum, there will also be hotels. If you love traveling and art, here is a list of the world’s best hotels for art lovers.

Minos Beach Art Hotel
Crete,Greece
The Minos Beach Art Hotel is one of the finest hotels in Crete. It has a seafront setting and is located near the Agios Nikolaos Archeological Museum and Lake Voulismeni. It offers bungalows, suites, and villas to tourists wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The hotel also serves as an art gallery, displaying sculptures from leading Greek and foreign artists.

Baur au Lac
Zurich, Switzerland
Baur au Lac is one of the world’s best hotels, maintaining the top position in the international luxury hotel industry for more than 165 years. The posh rooms offer spectacular views of the Swiss Alps and Lake Zurich. The hotel organizes an outdoor sculpture exhibition called Art in the Park where world-class artists display their works on the property’s grounds. Art pieces of Robert Indiana, Joan Miro, and Sol Lewitt have been included in this twice-a-year exhibit.

4-w-south-beachW South Beach
Miami Beach, Florida, USA
W South Beach is a resort hotel that also displays museum-caliber art pieces. The selection owned by the hotel’s co-owner Aby Rosen and the pieces are from modern artists like Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. The hotel is located close to the Bass Art Museum which recently opened the exhibition called “From Picasso to Koons: The Artist as Jeweler,” an exhibit showcasing around 200 works by 135 artists.

Gramercy Park Hotel
New York City, USA
New York City boasts hundreds of museums, making it a haven for art lovers. The Gramercy Park Hotel has an impressive selection of art pieces. It houses the work of world-class artists such as Andy Warhol, Richard Prince, Keith Haring, Julian Schnabel, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Damien Hirst.

Hotel Siru
Brussels, Belgium
Hotel Siru offers 101 unique rooms. In the 1980s, the hotel commissioned 130 Belgian artists to work on the rooms so now, all the rooms and public areas features contemporary works which includes framed prints, 3-D papier mâché sculptures, and murals. If you’re staying at Hotel Siru, try and visit the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée or the Comic Strip Museum.

The Ritz-Carlton Millenia800.dale-chihuly-sunset_0
Marina Centre, Singapore
The Ritz-Carlton commissioned art pieces worth S$5 million dollars which are positioned in the best feng shui locations. A detailed map will show you the location of all 4,200 pieces on display which includes the works of Zhu Wei, Dale Chihuly, Andy Warhol, Frank Stellar, Henry Moore and David Hockney.

 

The Merrion
Dublin, Ireland
The Merrion Hotel not only offers the finest accommodations in Ireland, it showcases the work’s of the country’s most important artists including Daniel Maclise, Nathaniel Hone, Paul Henry, and Mainie Jellet. Guided tours are available from the National Gallery.

Images are from here and here.