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THE SYNTAX OF COLOR
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Michael Skalka
Nov 17, 20202 min read
Vermilionettes and Royal Reds
It is a humorous name for a group of colors. Vermilionettes and Royal Reds makes me think of the name of a big band from the 1930s. ...
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Michael Skalka
Nov 17, 20204 min read
The Priming Layer
The priming layer or ground a painting is placed upon has gotten a lot of attention in recent years. Since the priming layer serves as a...
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Michael Skalka
Nov 17, 20205 min read
Protect the Skin You’re In
Well, it’s not grammatically correct, but it is a poignant reminder that it is the only skin we have and we better care for it wisely....
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Michael Skalka
Nov 17, 20203 min read
Bodies in the Cellar or The Old and Forgotten:
Only a handful of theater enthusiasts would know the name Joseph Kesselring. However, many would recognize one of his most famous plays,...
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Michael Skalka
Nov 16, 20203 min read
What is a Buddle?
Water and mined earth material is poured into the tank on the far left that overflows into the next tank. Lighter particles are carried...
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Michael Skalka
Nov 12, 20203 min read
The Issue of Black:
Interesting that we should start with the color that Webster's Dictionary describes as “the achromatic color of least lightness.” ...
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Michael Skalka
Dec 9, 20192 min read
The "Atomic" Pencil of the Future
I find it a lot of fun to run across advertising that predicts what will happen in the future. This ad appeared in the February 1949...
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Michael Skalka
Dec 3, 20191 min read
We're back....
After a considerable hiatus, the art materials website devoted to pigment history stories, interviews with artists and manufacturers,...
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Michael Skalka
Apr 19, 20162 min read
Curious About Making Gesso?
(Editor's Note: This essay has been re-titled corrected and reworked. It was first published on April 19, 2016. Essays will be...
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Michael Skalka
Apr 19, 20163 min read
Why Are Solvents So Confusing
This topic comes up many times in discussions with artists. Artists start to question the toxicity of a solvent and the cold hard...
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Michael Skalka
Apr 19, 20161 min read
The Lead White Pot
Displayed is a 19th century depiction of a pot that would contain a coil of lead that was destined to be exposed to acetic acid contained...
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