THE SYNTAX OF COLOR

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    Paint Big or Go Home
    Michael Skalka
    • Nov 24, 2021
    • 4 min

    Paint Big or Go Home

    I painted thickly. I painted thinly. I scraped things off. I over painted many areas. I changed my mind several times because things...
    510
    Are We All Using the Same Yardstick?
    Michael Skalka
    • Nov 11, 2021
    • 4 min

    Are We All Using the Same Yardstick?

    The focus of this essay is on an apparent lack of consistency that has been going on for decades. ASTM (The American Society for Testing...
    481
    Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
    Michael Skalka
    • Nov 11, 2021
    • 3 min

    Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

    Sometimes making art requires the same strategy that is employed when doing physical exercises. Doing different sets of repetitions,...
    441
    "We May Never Pass This Way (Again""
    Michael Skalka
    • Nov 4, 2021
    • 4 min

    "We May Never Pass This Way (Again""

    Perhaps the reason I gravitate so strongly towards researching art materials and related items is that they have a long history. For me,...
    430
    Frankly My Dear, I Don’t Give a Lake!
    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...
    1122
    How Can I Be Sure?
    Michael Skalka
    • Oct 22, 2021
    • 3 min

    How Can I Be Sure?

    How can I be sure, in a world that's constantly changing? (Young Rascals “How Can I Be Sure” 1967) We place a tremendous amount of trust...
    200
    The Color of EVERYTHING!
    Michael Skalka
    • Oct 15, 2021
    • 4 min

    The Color of EVERYTHING!

    The importance of this primary color mixing system to achieve a matched color compared to a sample is that an objective, numerical value...
    410
    Should Odorless Mineral Spirits Be Scented?
    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...
    1252
    Through Thick or Thin?
    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...
    701
    Caffeine and Color
    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...
    280
    Permanent Green Light
    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...
    530
    Stretching and Straining (Canvas, That Is)
    Michael Skalka
    • Sep 9, 2021
    • 3 min

    Stretching and Straining (Canvas, That Is)

    An artist can get a bit spoiled by continuously painting on pre-primed panels because it is easy to forget the steps needed to prepare a...
    310
    A Primer on Primers -"A Little Dab Will Do Ya."
    Michael Skalka
    • Sep 2, 2021
    • 5 min

    A Primer on Primers -"A Little Dab Will Do Ya."

    Oil Penetration The same question appears repeatedly on various social media sites that utilize crowd-sourced responses. The question:...
    370
    A is for AZO YELLOW
    Michael Skalka
    • Aug 26, 2021
    • 7 min

    A is for AZO YELLOW

    Manufacturers of Magnetic Tape, Aspirin and Yellow Pigments Developing a story becomes a challenging proposition when it comes to certain...
    200
    Better Living Through Chemistry?
    Michael Skalka
    • Aug 19, 2021
    • 3 min

    Better Living Through Chemistry?

    Synthetic Artists’ Papers When I originally planned the Syntax of Color website, one goal was to focus on new products. Time and other...
    150
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