Michael Skalka
Understanding Solvents for Artists
Part 2 Summary: Understanding something about solvents arms us with the knowledge that can help us make artwork as safely as possible....
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THE SYNTAX OF COLOR
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Michael Skalka
- Mar 20
- 3 min
Oversimplification of Art Materials
Summary: Modern life is filled with complex things. Maintaining a basic understanding of the nature of materials provides us with...
1260
Michael Skalka
- Aug 21, 2022
- 5 min
Cadmium Yellow Deep: A Misnamed Pigment? Part 2
Summary: Pigments with the same Color Index name but appearing to be a different hue is confusing for the consumer. Abiding by the Color...
920
Michael Skalka
- Aug 17, 2022
- 5 min
Cadmium Yellow Deep: A Misnamed Pigment? Part 1
Summary: Pigments with the same Color Index name but appearing to be a different hue is confusing for the consumer. Abiding by the Color...
1500
Michael Skalka
- Aug 4, 2022
- 5 min
Titanium White
Summary: A very recent news article caught my attention regarding a ban on the use of titanium dioxide white in food products within the...
3713
Michael Skalka
- Apr 30, 2022
- 7 min
Get the Lead Out?
Summary: What is the impact of continued use of lead white oil paint on the health of artists? What does health/safety literature tell us...
801
Michael Skalka
- Mar 2, 2022
- 5 min
...as Clear and Transparent as a Piece of Coal... Part 2
Summary: John Steuart Curry and Reginald Marsh corresponded with Jacques Maroger in the 1940s to obtain the long lost secret of Old...
1010
Michael Skalka
- Feb 19, 2022
- 5 min
"... as Clear and Transparent as a Piece of Coal" Part 1
Summary: When it comes to painting mediums used by artists, the debate about their merits or problems becomes a source of heated...
990
Michael Skalka
- Dec 5, 2021
- 3 min
Do This, Not That!
While two or three instances of what I am about to describe does not constitute a trend, I find this method of destroying unwanted...
850
Michael Skalka
- Oct 7, 2021
- 3 min
Should Odorless Mineral Spirits Be Scented?
I have been grappling with this question for many years. This issue has a number of technical components that make it hard to explain...
1534
Michael Skalka
- Sep 30, 2021
- 4 min
Through Thick or Thin?
I am focusing on paint viscosity while working on some big pictures that required a large quantity of oil paint. This got me thinking...
1181
Michael Skalka
- Apr 27, 2021
- 4 min
Gray Market Paints - Not a Pretty Color
In honor of Earth Day this last week, the topic of this essay focuses on environmental safety in a studio setting. Hopefully you have a...
480
Michael Skalka
- Nov 17, 2020
- 5 min
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....
610
Michael Skalka
- Apr 19, 2016
- 3 min
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...
720
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