Michael Skalka2 days ago3 minThe Pastel StandardSummary: So many activities with so little time. However, I am pleased to announce that the article I wrote for the Pastel Journal –...
Michael SkalkaApr 307 minGet 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...
Michael SkalkaApr 234 minMind the GapSummary: 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...
Michael SkalkaMar 145 minChrome ColorsSummary: Chrome colors were derived from the discovery of chromium by the French scientist, Louis Nicolas Vauquelin in 1797. Their...
Michael SkalkaFeb 73 minThe Color of TimeSummary: Perception of color and changes that occur is a function of vision and memory. We expect old things to look old and new things...
Michael SkalkaJan 294 minIt 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...
Michael SkalkaJan 235 minLet's Raise a Glass to Naphthol RedSummary: An unusual relationship exists between the brewing industry and the invention of a host of synthetic organic pigments in the azo...
Michael SkalkaJan 145 minTesting the Test?Summary: The ASTM subcommittee D01.57 creates standards that manufacturers may follow to assure their products are light fast, indicate...
Michael SkalkaOct 26, 20213 minFrankly 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...
Michael SkalkaSep 30, 20214 minThrough 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...
Michael SkalkaSep 21, 20214 minCaffeine and ColorThe story behind colors takes one to many different places. It is a story of people and their personal accomplishments. This one is...
Michael SkalkaSep 16, 20213 minPermanent Green LightLet’s explore another of what art material manufacturers sometimes refer to as “convenience colors.” This means a color that can be mixed...
Michael SkalkaJun 22, 20215 minHenry Levison: A Debt of GratitudeDepending on a person’s age, the art materials manufacturer, Permanent Pigments, may or may not be recognized. Even more senior artists...
Michael SkalkaJun 11, 20213 minAurora 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...
Michael SkalkaJun 4, 20214 minWhat's The Limit of Your Limited Palette?Selecting Colors A number of years ago when I lived in the New York metro area, I listened to a FM station that had a program called...
Michael SkalkaMay 29, 20213 minA Color MemorialThis time of year is bittersweet, as young men and women make the transition from high school to college or college to the world of work....
Michael SkalkaMay 11, 20214 minGo Big Blue!Ecole Polytechnique vs. The University of Tubingen. Scholastic rivalries have interesting histories. Each year both school athletic teems...
Michael SkalkaApr 12, 20213 minA Glitch in the Color Matrix“How can you be in two places at once, when you’re not anywhere at all.” I encountered this phrase in high school when my classmates...
Michael SkalkaApr 5, 20214 minSeeing Red! The Power of MagentaTop Left: Alizarin Crimson, Top Right: Cadmium Red, Bottom Left: Magenta, Bottom Right: Permanent Magenta A number of artists on the...
Michael SkalkaMar 22, 20214 minIndian Yellow: A Bovine StoryOne would be remiss if the story of the popular 19th century pigment Indian Yellow were not told. A preface to this story is the...