Chemistry of Paint & Pigments

[Chacmool]

Your kind & thoughful word has resulted in a neuro transmitter cascade in my brain resuling in muscular contractions of & about my lips & eyes & commonly referred to as an ear-to-ear-grin.:hihi: Your kemical kinness is its own reward.:confused:

Your paintings make US smile, dear Turtle! They bring a lot of joy and colour to Hypography. Keep up the great work!

[Turtle]

Your paintings make US smile, dear Turtle! They bring a lot of joy and colour to Hypography. Keep up the great work!

 

Yes Mam. :beer: In an effort to get more bang for my buck - given the painting moves so slowly - I tired (tried:hihi:) a new technique which has chemical concerns written all over it.

I used cut out tissue paper pieces (regular triangles in this case) which I pasted to newsprint paper using a thinned mixture of the acrylic gesso I discussed earlier in the thread.

Here is the work beginning & done (but not finished).

 

My chemical concerns include the color fastness of the pigments in the tissue paper, the acidity of the tissue paper & the newsprint, and the finish coat I applied. Too much light or too much time and the entire piece may simply go brown. :esmoking:

I did apply a clear coat from a spray can, although it was for woodworking and didn't mention paper on the label. It seems Ok so far, remaining flexible and adding a nice reflective surface that brightens the piece. (The 'done' image is without the clear coat, which is why it is 'done' and not 'finished').

Given all that, I completed the piece in just 16 hours over about 5 days which is unprecedented. Besides getting a large vivid piece done quickly, this technique leaves an oriented wrinkled surface that adds interest and somewhat resembles a quilt. I am hesitant to make more right off because of the uncertainty of the chemical stability, and I may instead try my hand at a fabric quilt as a means of getting even more bang for the buck.

Meanwhile, the paintings continue slowly and this concludes another irregularly scheduled pigment report.:cup:

[Mercedes Benzene]

I make my own paint pigments all the time Turtle. If you ever need guidance, just let me know.

I recently perfected a "prussian blue", which is essentially a complex of Iron and hexacyanoferrate [Fe(CN)6] +2.

It really is quite magnificent... and vibrant. :esmoking:

[Turtle]

I make my own paint pigments all the time Turtle. If you ever need guidance, just let me know.

I recently perfected a "prussian blue", which is essentially a complex of Iron and hexacyanoferrate [Fe(CN)6] +2.

It really is quite magnificent... and vibrant. :)

 

I accept your offer; it is timely and pertinent on more levels than expressible. :xparty: Nonetheless, I'll give it a whizz. :friday:

1) All these Fall colors have my aura sluggish and reactive so I had in mind to bring up the frequency and do a piece in white plus 5 or 6 shades of blue. Simply holding it in mind is helpful, but to then encounter your blue proposition is apparent serendipitous syncronicity. (even if its apophenia, I am pleased.:( )

2) What form do you end up with for the pigment, i.e. is it solid or liquid, etc.?

3) Will you describe the process?

4) Is the pigment suitable for dyeing paper?

5) Any other pertinent info you care to post that I haven't thought of?

6) Must stop typing & hit 'Submit' ! :) :hihi:

[Mercedes Benzene]

2) What form do you end up with for the pigment, i.e. is it solid or liquid, etc.?

3) Will you describe the process?

4) Is the pigment suitable for dyeing paper?

5) Any other pertinent info you care to post that I haven't thought of?

 

2) The final form is a solid precipitate (in solution), but can be filtered quite easily.

3) I made mine by using a solution of iron sulfate and potassium ferricyanide (which can be found at photography supply stores, or amazon :) ). I think that any soluble iron compound will work regardless of the oxidation number (II OR III). I have yet to figure out why this works, because technically it should work with only 1 of them. :confused: More experiments needed.

4) Yes it does work for paper, but it has to be incorporated with some sort of paint base. Some white bases --I have found-- cause the coloring to be off. You'll probably have to play around with some different mediums before you find none suitable for your needs.

5) Not really. Have fun when you mix the chemicals. It's pretty mesmerizing. :shrug:

[Turtle]

5) Not really. Have fun when you mix the chemicals. It's pretty mesmerizing. :bwa:

 

That sounds good, but too vaugue for my needs and more expensive than just buying tissue pre-colored. Thanks though, and how do you use the pigment?

 

I did some research and found I won't be using the newsprint as a base any more as it is about the most acid paper you can find.

The tissue papers however appear to have buffered variations used in conservation and if I used a stretched canvas as the base I may yet still pursue this technique rather than use paints.

Here is some info I found pertinent:

Acidic newsprint often requires deacidification and the deposit of an alkaline buffer (a.k.a. alkalization) to stabilize the paper.

http://www.loc.gov/preserv/care/newspap.html

 

In the course of time most tissue paper will become acidic and brittle with age. The acidity will transfer to adjacent objects causing these objects to become weaker and possibly discolored. Acid free tissue papers are specially processed to remove such contaminants. Some acid free papers are, in addition, buffered to an alkaline pH. These buffered papers are considered acceptable for cotton or linen textiles, but potentially harmful to silk or wool objects.

http://www.si.edu/mci/english/learn_more/taking_care/acidfree.html

 

I wonder if sprinkling baking soda on acidic tissue would neutralize any acid? :(

[Mercedes Benzene]

That sounds good, but too vaugue for my needs and more expensive than just buying tissue pre-colored. Thanks though, and how do you use the pigment?

 

Sorry Turtle. :( I tried.

I use my prussian blue as a paint. I find it works great when used in conjunction with an acrylic base. Basically, it's multipurpose. I use it for home projects, and I recently used it as a school project where we had to go to an elementary school to teach kids a science lesson.

I chose to have them make homemade paints and then they got to fingerpaint with it. :(

 

If you're still interested though, I'd be happy to send you some via USPS.:bwa:

[Turtle]

Sorry Turtle. :) I tried.

 

No worries; your efforts have been recorded in your permanent record.:eek2:

 

I finished the painting in post#35 yesterday; total time 18.5 hours.

I am back working on the two paintings pictured in post #48. I have to wonder a bit on the chemistry of motivation in all this, but that's another topic. :hyper:

[Turtle]

I plan to get some photos up in the next couple of days of the 2 works in progress, but in the mean time I let my mind wander/wonder into a bit of a different chemical element of painting. To whit, the chemical analysis of extant paintings in regard to their history, technique, materials, and authenticity. This came about in regard to my painting because I paint slowly and I'm an inveterate smoker. The work nearest completion I began in August of 2005 and the upainted areas which I gessoed have taken on a decidedly yellow cast. This doesn't appear to affect the laying on of new paint so I have made no attempt to clean it, although I may clean the entire surface once the painting is finished.

For any of you planning to forge a Katabatak painting, remember to puff tough and use only Bugler tobacco so as to avoid detection. :shrug:

[Chacmool]

1) All these Fall colors have my aura sluggish and reactive so I had in mind to bring up the frequency and do a piece in white plus 5 or 6 shades of blue.

Blue is my favourite colour, and I look forward with great anticipation to your study in blue, when you eventually get around to going it. Keep up the creative work and thanks for the updates!

[Turtle]

Blue is my favourite colour, and I look forward with great anticipation to your study in blue, when you eventually get around to going it. Keep up the creative work and thanks for the updates!

 

As the artist in all this I have to say what a pleasant and unexpected turn of events to see this series find so much approval from so many Ladies. :D I doubt if I intentionally set out for that I should not fail. :esmoking: :confused:

Attached below I have the photos. Colors aren't true but merely suggestive of hue. Chemically speaking, besides the tobacco smoke deposits, a good lot of pollen and dust from two distinct geographical locations is likely caught in the canvas and paint; more bother for forgers.:doh:

I have plans stewing now for the next piece as I have accepted the offer of a dear friend & Lady to supply me soon with a large 4 foot by 5 foot canvas and its delivery to my studio. :)

[Turtle]

Attached below I have the photos. Colors aren't true but merely suggestive of hue. Chemically speaking, besides the tobacco smoke deposits, a good lot of pollen and dust from two distinct geographical locations is likely caught in the canvas and paint; more bother for forgers.:)

 

The Katabatak Base Ten Six Orientations Triangular Table painting is done; a couple touch ups and a signature and it is finished. 24" x 24" A complex cononical cascade of chemical connotations. :lol:

 

 

[Mercedes Benzene]

The Katabatak Base Ten Six Orientations Triangular Table painting is done; a couple touch ups and a signature and it is finished. 24" x 24" A complex cononical cascade of chemical connotations.

 

Very Beautiful!

Now where can we buy them?

[Turtle]

Very Beautiful!

Now where can we buy them?

You are too kind Sir. :) Unfortunately, I have neither the right nor the reason under my current state of affairs to consider your proposition. Ashamedly, neither do I have even a whif of connection for it to chemstry. :doh:

[Turtle]

Well, since finishing the last painting I have yet to pick up my brush again, but I have the rightmost unfinished work attached to post #62 on my easel. This one is a bit more of a challenge for me as I have to mix colors for it following the prescription of a dear Lady.

 

One of these colors is to be a dark metalflake blue and I have purchased 'glitter' to mix with the paint to get that effect. Find below a scan of the glitter, which is most certainly some kind of chemical but the ingredients are not listed on the label. Perhaps this posting will motivate me to get back to the work.

[Chacmool]

Ooh, that's a beautiful colour! I can't wait to see it incorporated into your masterpiece, Turtle! :cup:

[Bystander]

Too new to "post links" for you, but here's one you might find interesting --- chemical and other hazards to artists from art materials;

 

.chicagoartistsresource.org/?q=book/print/6056]Health in The Arts Articles

 

You'll have to add the "http-url" stuff.