Michael Skalka
What If Colors Had No Names?
Summary: Ponder this idea. What if the colors we use as artists had no names or were forbidden to have names? Make believe that we are...
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THE SYNTAX OF COLOR
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Michael Skalka
- Oct 5, 2022
- 4 min
Adventures In Color Mixing
Summary: Can a piece of software teach us how to mix colors? It may serve as a good starting point for beginner artists who need some...
1482
Michael Skalka
- Sep 7, 2022
- 5 min
Food Coloring
Summary: Both in the past and the present, foods have been used as colorants for a variety of purposes. They can serve as pigments as...
380
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...
690
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...
1290
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...
3503
Michael Skalka
- May 25, 2022
- 3 min
The Pastel Standard
Summary: So many activities with so little time. However, I am pleased to announce that the article I wrote for the Pastel Journal –...
1592
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...
661
Michael Skalka
- Apr 23, 2022
- 4 min
Mind the Gap
Summary: The art materials industry provides a wealth of color choices, but sometimes a gap is found in if a 12-step color wheel is used...
1180
Michael Skalka
- Mar 14, 2022
- 5 min
Chrome Colors
Summary: Chrome colors were derived from the discovery of chromium by the French scientist, Louis Nicolas Vauquelin in 1797. Their...
510
Michael Skalka
- Feb 7, 2022
- 3 min
The Color of Time
Summary: Perception of color and changes that occur is a function of vision and memory. We expect old things to look old and new things...
570
Michael Skalka
- Jan 29, 2022
- 4 min
It Sure Doesn’t Look Like Tomato Juice!
Summary: It is time once again to dive into the realm of common household foods as they apply, or in this case, should not be applied to...
430
Michael Skalka
- Jan 23, 2022
- 5 min
Let's Raise a Glass to Naphthol Red
Summary: An unusual relationship exists between the brewing industry and the invention of a host of synthetic organic pigments in the azo...
550
Michael Skalka
- Jan 14, 2022
- 5 min
Testing the Test?
Summary: The ASTM subcommittee D01.57 creates standards that manufacturers may follow to assure their products are light fast, indicate...
430
Michael Skalka
- Oct 26, 2021
- 3 min
Frankly My Dear, I Don’t Give a Lake!
I heard an “interesting” story years ago on the origin of lake pigments. A person who felt he was a leading expert on pigments, told a...
1493
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...
941
Michael Skalka
- Sep 21, 2021
- 4 min
Caffeine and Color
The story behind colors takes one to many different places. It is a story of people and their personal accomplishments. This one is...
380
Michael Skalka
- Sep 16, 2021
- 3 min
Permanent Green Light
Let’s explore another of what art material manufacturers sometimes refer to as “convenience colors.” This means a color that can be mixed...
1530
Michael Skalka
- Jun 22, 2021
- 5 min
Henry Levison: A Debt of Gratitude
Depending on a person’s age, the art materials manufacturer, Permanent Pigments, may or may not be recognized. Even more senior artists...
2115
Michael Skalka
- Jun 11, 2021
- 3 min
Aurora Yellow - These are not the charged particles you were looking for...
Aurora Yellow: In artist forums I occasionally notice that a small group of art materials enthusiasts are drawn to seek out old art...
1600
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