Historic notes on preparations

CONSISE NOTES ON PREPARATION OF GROUNDS, PRIMINGS AND OTHER MATERIALS. by Arthur Lucas Former Keeper of Conservation The National Gallery, London   In 1950 Arthur Lucas was invited by the Slade Professor, Sir William Coldstream to lecture and demonstrate the methods and materials of painting to Slade students, who previously (since the 1930’s) had been taught a course called Chemistry of Painter’s Materials, by Mr H Terrey from the department of chemistry. Lucas taught twice weekly lectures and the Methods and Materials Room in the basement of the Slade was established. The room, now a sculpture studio, had a double Read more

Egg tempera on MDF

Eun’s Painting 2011. Support – MDF. Ground – One layer of handmade gesso:  Gelatine and whitening, with titianium white pigment. Paint – Three layers of each coloured pigment, 10 pigments in total Each pigment is mixed with a little titainium white to lighten the tone, as mixing with egg yolk, as well as three layers can darken the colour slightly. Binder – egg yolk and water The images show 1 cm sections of the painting. Sanded paint surface.

Gesso ground for panels

Gesso ground for panels   Whiting Glue size (1: 15 water*) Prepare a small quantity of size by soaking the glue granules in water until swollen. Warm the glue in a double boiler or a Pyrex glass basin, until melted. Remove from the heat source. Add a small amount of whiting to the size and stir gently with a brush. Test the mixture by painting onto a piece of waste wood; it should coat it with a milky film. Allow to dry for 12 hours.   Prepare a fresh batch of size (but this time with larger quantities) and melt Read more