Make pigments, brushes, bamboo pens, palettes, felt-tip markers, etching needles, woodblock press, a portable drafting table, more.

Lucio Fontana (1899-1968) is widely regarded as one of the most influential and innovative post-World War II Italian artists. This title presents a technical study in English of this important painter and an informative overview of Fontana's life and work.

The career of the German-American painter and educator Hans Hofmann (1880–1966) describes the arc of artistic modernism from pre–World War I Munich and Paris to mid twentieth-century Greenwich Village. His career also traces the transatlantic engagement of modern painting with the materials of its own making, a relationship that is perhaps still not completely understood. In these interrelated narratives, Hofmann is a central protagonist, providing a vital link between nineteenth- and twentieth-century art practice and between European and American modernism. The remarkable vitality of his later work affords insight not only into the style but also the literal substance of this formative period of artistic and material innovation. This richly illustrated book, the fourth in the Getty Conservation Institute’s Artist’s Materials series, presents a thorough examination of Hofmann’s late-career materials. Initial chapters present an informative overview of Hofmann’s life and work in Europe and America and discuss his crucial role in the development of Abstract Expressionism. Subsequent chapters present a detailed analysis of Hofmann’s materials and techniques and explore the relationship of the artist’s mature palette to shifts in the style and aging characteristics of his paintings. The book concludes with lessons for the conservation of modernist paintings generally, and particularly those that incorporate both traditional and modern paint media. This book will be of value to conservators, art historians, conservation scientists, and general readers with an interest in modern art.

The next title in the respected Artist’s Materials series offers groundbreaking analysis of Sam Francis’s working methods and materials American artist Sam Francis (1923–1994) brought vivid color and emotional intensity to Abstract Expressionism. He was described as the “most sensuous and sensitive painter of his generation” by former Guggenheim Museum director James Johnson Sweeney, and curator Howard Fox called him “one of the acknowledged masters of late-modern art.” Francis’s works, whether intimate or monumental in scale, make indelible impressions; the intention of the artist was to make them felt as much as seen. At the age of twenty, Francis was hospitalized for spinal tuberculosis and spent three years virtually immobilized in a body cast. For physical therapy he was given a set of watercolors, and, as he described it, he painted his way back to life. The exuberant color and expression in his paintings celebrated his survival; his five-decade career was an energetic visual and theoretical exploration that took him around the world. Francis’s idiosyncratic painting practices have long been the subject of speculation and debate among conservators and art historians. Presented here for the first time in this volume are the results of an in-depth scientific study of more than forty paintings from the late 1940s to early 1990s, which reveal new discoveries about his creative process, inventive techniques, and specially formulated paints and binders. The data provides a key to the complicated evolution of the artist’s work and informs original art historical interpretations.

A comprehensive and useful handbook for all artists. Artist's Materials is a detailed, accessible and comprehensive reference to all the materials available for drawing and painting. The book provides a brief history of the materials focusing on those that have been used for generations -- such as oil paint and ink -- and art surfaces such as paper, canvas, wood and others. Each material is discussed in terms of cost, suitability, and drying times. The book covers every medium in detail along with illustrated techniques and tools: Brushes of every size, shape and bristle type Pencils, graphite sticks and powders, charcoal and felt pens Pens and inks for drawing and calligraphy Pastels: soft, hard, oil, pencil and conté sticks Watercolor effects, papers and media Gouache, tempera and powder paints Acrylics; Liquitex acrylics and modeling media Oils, additives, glazing and more Mixed media combinations that work. Detailed descriptions explain how to get the best results and avoid problems. Tips and hints from professional artists are featured along with illustrations showing the materials being used. Examples of masterpieces by Goya, Pollock, and others accompany each section. Artist's Materials is a must-have technical manual and creative reference for artists at any level of experience.

Which canvas fabric is best for oil paints? When should you use colored inks? How can you avoid the darkening of acrylics over time? Choosing the right materials for your artwork can be tricky. Artist's Materials is a compact, indispensable and comprehensive guide to help you with these dilemmas, useful for both experienced and aspiring artists. Full of detailed advice on an array of materials and techniques, topics include: • How to pick your paints, be it oils, acrylics, watercolors or tempera • Painting techniques, including encaustic painting and gesso grounds • How to use fixatives, primers and varnishes • Making your own materials, such as canvases, paints and glues • Information on drawing materials, color mixing and brushes With a pigment color index, a glossary of key terms and information on caring for and storing your finished artwork, this book will equip you with all the tools you need to become a confident and versatile artist.