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Photo tip links by Eric Boutilier-Brown
internationally published photographer and photo educator: workshops, courses, seminars

Art tip links ©Carmel Rose Smith - artist and art consultant

Eric Boutilier-Brown
Photo tip archive: Handheld shutter speed

With film, life was simple - at least when trying to hand-hold. The old rule-of-thumb was to never hand-hold at a slower shutter-speed than your focal length as a fraction. Therefore, with a 50mm lens, you never went below 1/50th, and with a 200mm lens, never below 1/200th. Now, we have the new math!

Because of the image quality and sharpness of our digital cameras, and the fact we can check the focus and accuracy at such high magnification, the rule of thumb must be changed. Now, it would be recommended to never hand-hold at a slower shutter-speed than DOUBLE your focal length as a fraction. So with a DSLR and a 50mm lens, 1/100th is the new guideline, and with a 200mm lens, 1/400th.

If you have camera or lens image stabilization/shake reduction, you can safely use half your focal length as a fraction as a shutter-speed minimum, and perhaps lower, but testing would be recommended.

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Eric Boutilier-Brown
Photo tip archive: Play & Experimentation

One of the best ways to learn a new tool is to experiment. With the advent of digital photography, this has become almost cost-free, once your initial investment is completed. Even after your images is made, experiment with photo editing software - as you learn new skills and tools in the software, these will be added to your overall skill-set, and increase the flexibility and possibilities of your photography.

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Eric Boutilier-Brown
Photo tip archive: Lenses

Inexpensive lenses (like kit lenses that come with cameras when you first buy them) often get looked down upon as poor compromises, but if used properly, they can yield excellent photos. With basic zoom lenses, keep to the middle apertures (f/8-11) for the best image quality, and invest in a lens hood (remember to get the one designed for the lens) - this is like a baseball cap, keeping the sun out of your eyes! These two simple things will give you the best photographs your lenses are capable of!

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Eric Boutilier-Brown
Photo tip archive: Finishing vs. Saving

It is worth considering the difference between "finishing an image," and "saving an image," in the context of image editing. These days, photographers spend hours working on their photos in a program like Photoshop, but often their efforts are misdirected.

Ideally, a photograph begins in a camera, with the photographer perceiving a subject, and envisioning the final result (Ansel Adams called this pre-visualization). This image is then taken from the camera into the computer, where it is finished to match the photographer's intended goal.

The editing process should be guided by what you initially perceived, and all the tools and resources the computer provides should be used to this end. Spending time trying to save a photograph (trying to undo what was done in the camera) is putting the effort in the wrong direction.

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Eric Boutilier-Brown
Photo tip archive: Changing your point of view

Another thing to consider when taking your picture is your point of view. A picture can be more interesting when taken from an unusual angle. Don't be afraid to lie down and look up at your subject, a particularly dynamic approach when photographing pets or children and also less threatening to your subject.

Equally, you could try climbing up to a higher viewpoint and looking down on your subject. Better yet, try both and then delete the one you like less.

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Eric Boutilier-Brown
Photo tip archive: Auto Focus Off

Just because your lens can auto focus (AF) doesn't mean it has to. All cameras can be set to manual focus, so if your subject isn't moving, or going to be in a predictable location over and over again (like the net in a Basketball court), you can prefocus your camera, and then turn off the auto focus before you begin photographing.

This ensures your exact point of focus will be sharp, but also prevents your camera from accidentally refocusing when another subject enters the auto focus area. Always remember to turn your AF back on when you are done!

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Eric Boutilier-Brown
Photo tip archive: Group Photography

As you get more and more people in a photograph, the problems increase as well. It is not easy to get a good image of one person, but with a group, the difficulty increases exponentially. Consider some of these suggestions:

• Appoint a group member to begin setting up the group - it puts them working with someone they know, and while you'll probably have to make a change or two, it is a start.
• Once you begin to photograph, keep relating to them - don't become a person with a camera in their face. If you know a joke with a long set-up, begin telling it as you photograph, with "pregnant pauses" to photograph in - this keeps your subjects focused on you.
• The final suggestion is take as many images as you can - at lease one for ever two or three subjects in the photos (i.e. for a group of six, take three photos, for a group of 20, take at least six or seven).

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Eric Boutilier-Brown
Photo tip archive: Self-Timer

Every camera has a self-timer built in, and it can be one of the most valuable features in your camera. The most obvious use is when you wish to be in the photo - set the camera up (a tripod, balanced on a table etc) then set the self-time. You have 10 seconds to run into the photo and be immortalized forever. Less obvious uses are as follows:

• Built-in last-minute tripod: You can use a self-timer to reduce camera shake when using long exposures, as long as the camera can be positioned safely.
• Candid Camera: Set up your camera for a portrait, but use the self timer instead. Your subject will relax over the 10 second pause, and not even expect the image to be made when it does. Only works once per subject though!

Most cameras will let you turn off the beeping that usually accompanies the self timer, and some even let you decide on a two-second delay, as opposed to the standard 10 second delay.

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Eric Boutilier-Brown
Photo tip archive: Go extreme

In life, we respond strongest to the most extreme experiences. Do we remember junk food, and mundane meals, or the exquisite four course meal we had six years ago that tasted so good? The same is true with photography. Whether it is with your lens selection, depth of field or composition, the more extreme or dramatic an image you can create, the better it will look. So next time you go to take a photo, push as many of the decisions as far as you can!

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© Carmel Rose Smith
New Art Tip: Can a work of art be "built?"

Well, here's an alternate title for this entry: Building Art that Works.

And yes, when you create anything, it is a form of building, a construction, a fabrication. It didn't grow out of the ground or come down from the sky! It's made by a more or less thinking person.

Sometimes that's where we run into problems. We think too much! Have you had the experience of doing a painting or drawing and it just flows out, as if you had very little to do with it? Almost as if it painted itself through you. It's an experience of living in the present moment. That state is what some may call enlightenment, a place of connection with all that is, and being utterly in-tune.

Most people have glimpses of this, and artists hopefully have more of it. At least the best work comes from this space, and not from thinking out the work before or during the process. I'm not saying don't plan what you are going to do. Yes, start with an idea by all means, such as, "I want to paint that sky in all its intensity." Or whatever. But when we are concerned with concepts most of all, the "art" that comes out of it will be mostly dead. That is, devoid of life!

How dare I say such a thing? Well, how much time do you want to spend around much of the conceptual art out there? If you were to be reincarnated as an object, which would you rather be, a Rembrandt or a video installation showing a car crash over and over? Which is a more accurate picture of your "soul" or inner self? Be honest now!

The problem with conceptual art is just that, it is conceptual - constructed around thoughts, executed by thoughts, viewed by thoughts, judged by thoughts. Is it "bad" therefore? I'm not saying it's bad. I'm saying, "who cares?" The mind is a wonderful thing, unless it's running the show.

Making art is a "feeling" process. You feel it within yourself, what will work. Then you use your skills, which you will have practiced for years, to bring it about. And you feel your way through the whole thing. Try this, try that. Without words, and without thinking, you try some yellow, you add a line, you move the paint up, you brush it out . . . and see if it works. You know if it does, and leave it, or if it doesn't you change mid-stream.

So the first "step" in building art that works is to practice being in the moment. It's not something you make as a goal, i.e., to be attained in future. Right now is the time! Feel this moment. And keep feeling it whenever you remember to do so. It will do wonders for your art practice, and perhaps some other things as well.

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© Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Building Strong Compostion or "What do you mean, 'Is it Alive?!'"

When you look at a piece of art, are you aware of where your eye goes? It's worth becoming conscious of, whether it's your own art or that of others. We touched on this in an earlier column, how the eye will go to a weak spot, and keep going back there. We talked about how an unresolved place in the whole, a weak area, will always keep drawing undue attention to itself.

But before that happens, the eye will go to the strongest area (if there is one), to the main focus, or "centre." By that, I don't mean what is literally at the centre of the painting. Putting something at the centre is often killing to a work. Unless you are designing a dartboard.

A centre is simply a focal point. Without a strong centre, the work will lack "life." I know, a painting is not a living breathing thing, yet there are degrees of liveliness, and there seem to be a number of elements that create this life in an artifact. This is not just someone's opinion; it can be demonstrated empirically, that objects and artifacts, buildings, paintings, vases, gardens, all can have more or less "life" inherent in them, and anyone can detect it, if they understand what they are looking for. It's not a question of a person saying "I like that Picasso better than that Matisse." The question is, which, of the two items on view, has more life? More soul? The strange thing is, given the right question, 98% of people give the same answer

Why? How can that be possible? I draw several conclusions from these experiments (conducted by Christopher Alexander):
One: that we all share a common internal "knowing" that is not just personal and subjective.
Two: that there are universal aspects that we all can recognize as desirable.
Three: that these aspects are manifest in the world of matter, and are seen not only in living things such as plants, flowers, animals, lakes, and so forth, but also in art and design, in paintings, buildings, photographs and other human-made objects.

Picture in your mind a castle or an ancient cathedral you may have seen, at least in a picture. Do you notice where the entrance is? It's kind of hard to miss, don't you think? The doors, the arches, the turrets, the entrance courtyard or path, all point to where you go in. Each of these elements has significance in and of itself, but also direct our attention to the main focus - the entrance. Now, picture a new building in our area. Maybe one that is just being built. Is the entrance clear? Do you know for certain where you are supposed to enter?

I am thinking of one being built on North St. right now, where the new post office is. I look at it and I think, "Oh, I guess that's where you go in," because it looks like the most likely place, but it has nothing of the indicators, the complexity and indicators that the cathedral or castle would have. Yesterday a senior citizen who lives near the building asked me as we were driving by "Where does a person go in?" It's not quite obvious, not just to me. "Oh, of course, it's just a modern building, it's not a cathedral or anything," you may argue. Yes, that's true. Still, it was built to be used. By people. We feel better when we can see where to go in, from first sight. We shouldn't have to think about it! That is where complexity (a box has little complexity of detail) can lead to clarity; because all of the details point to a direction.

Okay, back to painting or drawing. You are looking at your struggling piece. Or someone else's struggling would-be masterpiece. Or a real masterpiece by one of the masters! Where do you "go in" and where do you go from there? In other words, the entrance is a "centre" -the prime centre. Just like in a building. And then there's a flow, from the main centre to secondary "centres." The more centres, the more life. And with that thought, I'll leave you, and we'll pick up from there in the next column.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Observations on Unity and Composition in Art

Whether we do it more or less intuitively, or by planning a design, a unified composition is an essential element of art-making. Even if we don't know a thing about it, these principles are still in effect, and they can make the piece work, or not work.

In his book "How We Die," author Sherwin B. Nuland makes some observations about the nature of cancer cells that I found most startling. He describes cancer cells as "asocial" because they do not behave as though they belong in the greater community of cells that make up the living body. Their visible structure is chaotic, with each cancer cell often taking a totally different shape and size than the cancer cells that surround it. They act without reference to the whole, which is what makes them so destructive to the orderly patterns of all other bodily cells. Dr. Nuland calls them the juvenile delinquents of the body, because of their lack of reference to anything but themselves.

This started me thinking about unities of various sorts, including art. An excellent piece of art is a unified whole. It exhibits the harmony that comes from every element working together. When you are working on a piece and it's just not working, and you are trying to figure out why, it could be that the whole visual structure is off; the composition could be off. Here are two helpful questions you can ask yourself:

1.When I look at this work, where does my eye go immediately?
2.And then what happens?

A non-cooperative element will always draw the eye first. When a doctor sees cancer cells under a microscope, she knows immediately; their visible anarchic nature singles them out from the other cells. So in art. I am not talking about when you have a strong focal element in your work and the eye is drawn to it naturally. In this case, there are other elements that are still working with that focal point, so this is where question #2 comes in. If the eye can rove and be drawn throughout the painting, your composition is probably working, even if the eye is repeatedly drawn back to the focal point. In fact, that is what should be happening if you intend that a focus area be the main element.

When it's not working, one area, colour or "thing" will stick out like a sore thumb. Your eye will keep going back to it not because it's wonderful or strong or whatever, but because it's just plain distracting. This could be for one or two reasons. It might be so different in its characteristics from the other elements it just does not fit. Or, it could be that it is just placed in the wrong spot, and this is where you will have to examine the composition.

If an element is that distracting it disrupts the harmony and purpose of the work, it is at odds with the rest of the painting. It's like the cancer cell that is so individualistic it insists on being non-conformist regardless of anything or anybody else. And that spells death to a piece of art.

Next month I will share some thoughts about what makes a composition work, and some ideas you can use in your making of art.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Change the Context

With that kind of a title you may be thinking I'm becoming more conceptual in my artistic outlook. However, I have a strong practical bent, and it's too late to change that now! (Even if I wanted to...) So my theme today has a practical focus regarding how we work.

Quite a while back I was living in Quebec and started taking some workshops with painter Seymour Segal. He was very inventive in his approach, and encouraged experimenting with materials and themes. Midway through a week-long course, he announced that the following day the class would meet in the evening, and we would have to paint by candlelight only. I went there with an open mind. Painting in semi-darkness was a new experience. I enjoyed the ambience, even if it was difficult to see the colours all that well. The next day when we reassembled it was a surprise to see how it all looked by light of day.

A friend of mine who is also a painter told me of experimenting with similar situational variables. Being someone who imbibed moderately in social settings only, he decided to drink a bottle of wine and get a little high, and then went into his studio to paint. The results were - I'm using his words here - pure . . . crap! He realized that successful painting required the making of a certain amount of decisions, or to use that word many now considered dirty, judgments. This was a bit of a surprise, because when one is in the flow of creating, in the zone so to speak, it's a very right-brain kind of place, and we don't think that we are editing and so forth during the act. Yet, it appears, these things are much more subtle than we thought.

I won't tell you if I was pleased or not with my candlelight painting experiment. I want you to try it out for yourself, and see what comes out. And please feel free to drop me a line and let me know what happens. The point is to rock yourself out of the grooves you normally fall into, and see where it leads. We can experiment with any number of variables, and here are just a few to consider:

• Use your non-dominant hand to hold the brush or pencil
• Paint blindfolded
• Paint while looking at the canvas or paper reflected in a mirror
• Change the time of day you normally work; change the kind of lighting you use
• Try painting with the brush in your foot or your mouth

At the very least, you will develope a new appreciation for the easy way you normally work! And who knows? You might make some exciting discoveries in the way the paint is going on, in the brushwork, in the composition. You won't know until you try!

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Courting the Muse

Another year has begun, and resolutions are in the air once again. Maybe you are setting some goals for yourself in the realm of artistic activities or creative endeavours. Creating anything, whether a novel, a painting, a plan, a garden, requires that we be and do something not done before. Although we may have painted a thousand paintings, or designed a thousand pyjama sets, each new project is different. It's happening now, and what you've already created is part of the past.

You're a different person today. The goals may have shifted. You may be - one would hope - more skilled than you were this time last year. Meaning, experience has given you more to work with, resulting in more freedom and options as to the how. There will be new things learned with each endeavour, each job builds for the next. With all that in mind, I'd like to set out a few ideas, food for thought, suggestions for spurring development as it were, as we look ahead to the next cycle of our planet around the sun.

Show Up. For those who face the problem of making time to follow their art projects, may I suggest that you set aside some time, five days a week, to meet the muse if she - or he - should want to meet you there. Nothing may happen. You may just spend the hour or whatever you have allotted, piddling around, looking out the window, with your paints, pens, paper, canvas and so forth just ready and waiting for you. And you may start feeling frustrated because you don't know what to create. Ideas seem hard to come by.

The answer? Relax. Think of things that please you, don't even try to come up with ideas. Trying is a surefire way to choke off the flow. It's all okay. Just show up there.

A Room of One's Own. Virginia Wolfe really did know what she was talking about. And as a female who works in the arts, I can attest to the pull of distractions when trying to work. Especially if your workspace is in the home. I don't have children, but two dogs and three cats and farm animals certainly do interrupt on a regular basis, and usually at very inconvenient times.

Just yesterday I wasted hours trying to get a flighty guinea fowl down from the roof of the barn - to no avail. He spent a cold night up there, and survived and came down the next day. What's a person to do? The best you can. But don't let your life become a series of distractions. And without some structure it will be.

Men, somehow, seem able to maintain more of a focus because the brain is hard-wired differently, so we are told by recent scientific findings. We suspected it long ago anyway. This seems to bear out for most males and females, although there are always exceptions.

The wide-angle lens we females possess does allow a broader vision and the ability to perceive and manage many things at once. But it can be a handicap when trying to focus on a project when others are demanding attention. Or even if other tasks are staring you down. However! The laundry will be there tomorrow. The dust will be there tomorrow, and then some. The muse may not be. Your date is with the muse!

So you can do as Mary Pratt did. Go in your room and shut the door. Pick a time when the children are at school, asleep, or otherwise occupied. And, if distraction is a consistent problem, give some thought to finding a space separate from your home. Maybe rent a small room somewhere, or even fix up a part of a shed or outbuilding.

There is nothing to keep you at it like a space of your own. Because you have committed some time, thought, energy, and money to it, you will feel more like making use of it!

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Christmas time, is here again

So goes one of my favourite songs of the season, from the Charlie Brown TV Specials of my youth (and I presume they are still going strong, but since I don't have a television, I don't know).

Well, it is that time, and that means a lot of people scrambling around wondering what gifts to give to the favourite people in their lives. I like the motto "less is more"... so why not give fewer things but of higher quality?

If you follow this column, you will know that quality is something I do harp on. Because a fine piece of art is something that can be enjoyed for years, centuries even! But it is important that the materials the art is made of, and with, be of archival quality if they are to last. That means acid-free paper, lightfast pigments, archival framing, and so forth. With that in mind, there are lots of options for the budding or blossoming artist on your list, and all available at your local art supply store!

For the young folks, sketching and drawing materials are going to be used by those who like to doodle and draw, and that means most kids, unless it was criticized out of them by some misguided adult. If they enjoy comics, one wonderful thing they might like to receive is a comic artist layout sketch pad... so they can draw and write their own comics! To complete the gift, add coloured pencils, markers, a set of drawing pencils (they come in various hardness grades, which means finer and lighter or darker and heavier lines and effects can be created by switching pencils). I would have LOVED to receive that when I was a young thing... and well, I still would get excited by a gift like that!

Coloured pencils are not just for kids by the way. Take a look at the work of a modern master of drawing, David Hockney, if you want to argue that point! Prismacolor makes at least two grades of pencil, one for the professional artist with higher pigment content, all lightfast, etc., and another that is less expensive for students. For students, there is probably no need to buy the more expensive sets since even the student ones will be of sufficient quality.

For those who like to make small sketches and watercolour paintings or collage, a set of blank cards made of quality papers, complete with envelopes, will allow them to quickly and conveniently make their own Christmas cards or special occasion cards throughout the year. A set of these blank cards makes a cute stocking stuffer for the artist. If you are an artist, why not pick up a set and make your own Christmas cards this year?

There are loads of painting sets for oils, watercolours, acrylics, to encourage those who want to get started, whether for students or those with more experience. Be sure to check out the new easels coming in this year, for the artist you'd really like to wow!

Another beautiful item that would make an elegant gift is an authentic Japanese Sumi set, complete with ink stick, inkstone, brushes, etc. Around $100 seems expensive, but an inkstone alone can sell for quite a bit, so it's actually a nice deal for what you get.

The trick of gift giving is to know the person you are shopping for. Find out what they like, their interests and ideas, and go from there. When you've put some thought into a gift, it shows, and that's what a gift is meant to express, that you care about the person you are giving to. They are worth a little thought and effort.

And one last idea: a gift of original art is another great idea that benefits the giver and the artist. Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season! I'm looking forward to a creative year ahead, and hope you are too. See you in 2010.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Choosing Pigments for Permanence

Last month I told you about the ASTM rating system as a guide for choosing colours for your palette, based on the lightfastness of the pigments.

The names of pigments vary, but each has a code that is used internationally. These are known as the Colour Index abbreviations:

• Natural Red NR
• Pigment Blue PB
• Pigment Black PBk
• Pigment Brown PBr
• Pigment Green PG
• Pigment Orange PO
• And so on . . .

And each of the named variations of a colour or hue has a number assigned, designating what type of yellow or blue or whatever it is. For example, Ultramarine Blue (PB 29). Some colours are mixed from two or more pigments; Payne's Gray does not have its own number, but is made from pigments that do, namely, Ultramarine (PB 29), Mars Black (PBk 11), and Yellow Ochre (PY 43).

Why am I telling you all this? Because pigments have a lot of fancy and even confusing names, their nomenclature derived from such factors as where they came from, their inventors, purposes or even what they resembled in nature. Thus, a single colour might be known under a dozen different names! "Burnt Sienna" is the common name for this pigment. But it can also be called Natural Italian Earth. The number coding is concise; you know what you are actually looking at and painting with.

Need I tell you that all paint is not created equal? That some manufacturers substitute cheaper and less stable pigments without stating so? Red is not just red! Any label that just calls it "Red" is hiding something. It's probably some cheapo pigment. Don't waste your hard-earned cash. And basically, you do get what you pay for.

Cadmiums, for example, are extremely expensive. Pure Cadmium Red (PR 108), is not just something dug out of a hillside, but has to go through a somewhat complicated process invented around 1907; its an inorganic synthetic. It is considered toxic, so do not breathe the dust, etc. Why use it at all? I use it because it is bright, permanent (lightfast, rating I) and opaque; all qualities which are not found in many other red hues. Need I say more? Cadmiums are here to say, to be used when and where you can afford them.

Have a look at the paints in your kit, and see how they stack up in terms of quality and lightfastness. If you want to use up the fleeting colours for craft or sketch projects go ahead. You can choose to buy something different next time you are shopping for art materials. Or not! At least you know to make an informed decision.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Pigments: Understanding Lightfastness

I have talked about archival properties in artwork before in this column. Especially as it applies to paper, and the importance of using acid-free materials to draw or paint on. That is, if permanence is of any concern to the one doing the drawing and painting. And I know some take the line "it's not my concern, I only care about making 'ART!' Well, be that as it may. If you choose to display and sell your work, it would be ethical to inform potential buyers about how you don't care if it lasts or not. Then it's a case of buyer beware.

There is another group though who don't know about those issues. I would hope anyone who has ever taken an art course or gone through art school will be informed, but who knows what goes down in art school these days! I've met grads who didn't know how to stretch a canvas. Maybe they did learn valuable things about "being creative," so each to his own. But I can't imagine a graduate from a music program not knowing what a musical key is.

So, for those who want to be informed, the info is out there for all to grasp with a minimum of research. I have not said much about pigments as a permanence issue in art. Pigments are the colouring agents of the paint. If you have painted a house in a bright colour, you will notice how it fades in five or six years. What was a shocking bright blue is now mellowed and does not draw attention like it did at first. When I was in Australia a few years ago, my sister hung clothes outside to dry . . . in the shade. She said the sun is so strong it would bleach the colours out after only a few washes if hung in the light.

That's because clothes and house paint are tinted with dyes. House paint used to contain pigment the same as artists paint. Dyes fade rather easily. The colours are therefore "fugitive" and the rate of fading varies, but they will fade when exposed to light as the dye is not lightfast.

Artists' paints are coloured with a variety of pigments, from natural and manmade sources, but there is a rating system that will help the artist choose a palette that is as stable as possible. The American Society for the Testing of Materials (ASTM) has categorized all pigments according to lightfastness, as follows:

• I Excellent Lightfastness
• II Very Good Lightfastness
• III Fugitive or Not Sufficiently Lightfast

When you buy paints or pastels, the rating may even be printed on the tube or label. If not, the art store should have the material on-hand, as the company will supply it with the listing of colours available. Next month I will talk about some specific colours. In the meantime, get out your reds and oranges and golds, as the leaves are turning every day and will soon be gone!

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Safety 1st - Pigments!

Van Gogh was a little bit on the crazy side, as anyone who has cast a glance at his biography will attest. The ear episode was only the tip of the iceberg. Was he born that way, or was it part of the occupational hazard of being an artist at that time?

While today we can duck into the art supply store and pick up some tubes of paint, until fairly recent times artists had to make their own paint. That meant handling some very toxic materials in the form of powdered pigments, which were then mixed with the linseed and other vegetable oils to make the paint. Even today, many of the same pigments are used, and you may recognize the names; cobalt blue, cadmium yellow, chromium green.

The problem comes when we ingest these materials, usually inadvertently. I say inadvertently, because Van Gogh actually tasted his paints, for whatever reason. Maybe he was checking for the proper consistency. Powdered materials are difficult to contain, and can be easily inhaled when dust from stirring or handling flies into the air, then the body absorbs particles through the lungs. Also, powders can be spilled on clothes and transferred by hand to food and drink, and household items, and ingested or inhaled.

Today some artists make their own paints, or use pigments with mediums. In egg tempera, pigments are always used in dry form as part of the process. If you are using dry pigments, please wear a dust mask, latex or vinyl gloves which can then be disposed of, and clothing which will be removed and washed. Use them in a non-windy environment, and do not allow children or pets access to the area when you are in the process. Afterwards, clean up spills and wash surfaces with disposable paper towels or cloths.

Contact local waste disposal authorities if you are handling the more toxic colours. The toxic pigments I listed above are among the most dangerous, but there are others, and I will provide a list in a later article. I would add that ANY dry powder material flying around in the air is a hazard to the lungs, which is why bakers have "Baker's Lung" and weavers have "Weaver's Lung." It's not just asbestos miners who have to be concerned. It's a question of exposure over time.

As far as using paints straight from the tube, all should be fine if you don't eat your paint! And don't tip your watercolour brush with your mouth! And don't drink the rinse water by mistake (I admit to doing this one!). One other thing I will mention: if you want to reuse an old wood or masonite panel which has oil paint on it, you may be tempted to sand it down. I would not recommend this unless you use disposable drop cloths, a first class mask, and sand by hand, not with an electric sander, then follow the above recommendations for cleaning up afterwards.

Many artists have a very nonchalant attitude towards safety when it comes to art materials. The pigments mentioned above, and some others I've not mentioned, are carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic. Which means they cause cancer, gene mutation which can lead to cancer and other diseases, and birth defects in unborn children. A friend of mine just died prematurely, and one of the complicating factors in his health problems was severe lead poisoning, which came from renovating an old building painted with lead paint originally . . . as they all were! There was, and is, no real substitute for the bonding qualities of lead with white pigment. If he had worn protective clothing and taken safety measures, it might have turned out differently.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Acrylic Painting Foible #2

The fast-drying characteristic of acrylic paint - one of its advantages over oils - is also one of its major drawbacks . Last month I recommended stay-wet palettes to prevent paint drying too quickly before it can be used.

There is another product that can be used to approximately double the open/drying time. Acrylic Retarder can be mixed into the paint, but do not add more than 5% by volume.

Sound too complicated? Golden Acrylics manufacturers offer a line called Golden Open Acrylics, which stay wet on the palette far longer than regular acrylics, and resist forming a skin as it dries. So you can stop worrying about beating the clock and keep on painting without a care in the world! Any art supply store which carries Golden products should be able to have it come in for you with their next order, just give them a call.

In the meantime, happy plein air painting during the last month of summer, and I hope to see some of you at the Annapolis Royal Paint the Town event.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Acrylic Painting Foible #1

One of the advantages of painting with acrylics is the fast drying time. In a matter of minutes you can overlay fresh colour, glaze, scumble on a contrasting tint, which is an advantage over slow-drying oils. Fast-drying paint is also a factor that can put the "pain" in the word "paint." Imagine you have mixed the perfect shade you need, and as you are using it, it dries right on the palette. What a bummer! But there is hope: this problem can be prevented!

I recommend disposable stay-wet palettes for acrylics. You can buy them in a pad and tear out a sheet when you need it. It will have to be misted or pour a little water on it to make it evenly wet. Place it in a tray, even a plastic take-out tray that you might otherwise put in the recycling bag, then you can close the lid and keep on using the palette until it's too cruddy. If your local art supply store does not have paper palettes, ask for them and they will probably order them for you.

There are a number of brands of paper palettes on the market, make sure it's one designed for wetting, to be used for acrylics, not oils.

If you wish to really do it on the cheap, use a plastic tray like mentioned above, or an old ceramic plate, or enamel butcher tray. Something with a bit of a lip because you will stack a bit of a layer. Lay down a few paper towels and wet them. Add a piece of wax paper to cover, and press it against the paper towel. To continue using for more than one session, lift the wax paper, mist the paper towels, and replace the wax paper. Then cover it, close the lid, whatever - or place the whole thing in a plastic bag and tie it or fold under. It will stay moist, and the only thing you need to watch out for is mold. I'd recommend changing the whole set-up every couple of days.

And voila, stress-free acrylic painting. Well, at least that part is taken care of. In next month's issue, we'll tackle yet another foible of painting with acrylics.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Oil Painting on Paper

For experimenting or just for the fun of working on a smoother surface than canvas, paper is a safe medium for oils, with a few precautions.

Choose a heavier grade paper for starters, and make sure it is archival in quality (acid free). A 100% rag paper is a good bet as long as it is in the heavier weight. Paper is graded by pounds (or metric) per square inch, a test of its strength. A 300 lb paper is a heavy stock paper.

Next step is to attach it to a board or fixed surface. You can use a big piece of Ten Test, which is a cellulose-based piece of fibrous board used in some construction. It is quite soft, and you can use a staple gun or tacks to attach your paper at intervals around the outside edges. This is to prevent warping and buckling as it gets wet. You may wet the paper before you attach it to ensure it stays tight. A sponge or mister works well, just don't soak it!

The paper needs to be gessoed before painting on it though. Acrylic gesso used for priming canvas works just fine. Check with your local art supply store! Apply the gesso in one coat in one direction, stroking out brush marks as you go. Let it dry and then apply another coat in a cross direction.

In other words, if you did a north-south coat, do an east-west coat. Let it dry, and that's probably good enough, unless you have a cheapo thin gesso! Don't go there in the first place!

Two coats are enough with a good gesso product. Let the creativity flow and have some fun! If you haven't tried painting oils on paper, you will probably need to make adjustments in your technique to compensate for lack of "tooth" that canvas provides. You might just encounter something you'd like to pursue further!

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Pen & Ink Drawing

Why does there seem to be such a dearth of drawing these days? There is, to my eye, an infatuation with colour to the exclusion of more subtle forms of expression. The masters of Oriental art esteemed ink drawings and paintings, and produced exquisite work that has stood the test of time. In the Western tradition, there are scads of drawings that you can take a peek at when you travel to a place with art museums, or look up in books, from artists who are primarily known as painters, such as Van Gogh, Delacroix and Rembrandt, to name a few. In other words, just because you like to paint doesn't mean you are not allowed to draw!

I'd like to give a little assignment to those who'd like to take it up. The subject can be anything you choose, but I'd like to encourage you to try drawing in ink. And I ask you to experiment with using different line widths within the same drawing. How you use them is up to you. In the practice, you will find what works best.

You can use a broad nib calligraphy pen or marker, for the wider lines. Or a reed pen, such as bamboo pens from China, if you can find one. For the finer lines try a pen with a metal nib in a fine point, or one of the disposable archival ink pens in a fine tip. Most art supply stores will stock a selection of sizes, and a choice of ink as well.

The pen holders with the exchangeable nibs work well, just buy a few different types of nib and switch them as you need to. It's good to have a couple of pen holders, so you don't have to switch nibs every single time if using two nibs in one drawing.

These metal nib pens are dip pens, and you might need to play with shaking off some ink after each dip, so there's not a huge blob of ink dropping off and ruining your work. Experiment and have fun! You will find what works for you.

When cleaning your pens, use warm water and a little plain soap. Be sure to dry thoroughly. You can gently run a piece of thin cardstock between the nib and the ink reservoir on the underside, to remove any dried remnants of ink. Best to keep a pot of clean water to dip the pen between use if you are working with two pens. Eventually dried ink will accumulate anyway, and this can always be removed with a little rubbing alcohol, or vodka if that's all you have on hand! It only takes a little on a cotton ball. This works for shellac-based India or china inks. If you are using acrylic inks, a good soak with soap and water and light cleaning with an old toothbrush should do the trick.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Working Alla Prima Outdoors

Working "on site" is fun and forces the artist to break out of more staid or routine studio practices. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend that you give it a go. Artist Wolf Kahn said he likes to work directly from nature periodically because it "keeps him honest."

There's something about working only from imagination all the time that can start to feed on itself and become repetitive, without the artist even realizing it. (Sketchbooks too are a good medicine in that way; many famous abstract artists have also kept sketchbooks where they worked directly from nature, although their exhibited work could not have looked more different! I think drawing and painting from nature keeps the artistic faculty "limber" . . . for want of a better way of putting it). Working "alla prima" - freshly, directly and boldly, as opposed to the more traditional studio method of layers and glazes - is a skill that is perfected in the doing.

And there is nothing like working outdoors to compel the eye and hand to work together quickly and decisively. Time and fleeting light conditions often force us to be bold and work swiftly, to good effect in the work as the brain doesn't get a chance to interfere.

If you are not used to working this way, it can be a challenge to get the idea/scene down without the work becoming muddy and cluttered. The solution is to determine with you mind's eye what it really is that you are aiming for, what excites you about this scene or view. If it's not all that exciting, move on! Find something that does ring your bell in some way.

Try not to get too distracted by the details. You want to capture the essence, and going into the details will be a red herring. Size up the lighting, the values, the essential shapes, and go for it. Simplify! Relax, there are no mistakes; it's all a learning experience. If you can relax and have some fun with it, it will show in what you paint.

In last month's tip, I mentioned using a large brush with watercolours to force thinking in large shapes and not get distracted by details.

If you are using oils or acrylics, may I suggest you choose your colours when you are composing your scene, and not lay out dozens of paint puddles on your palette. I encourage you to make your colour choices before you start to paint. This can actually give your painting more power, as you are forced to work the composition and not just rely on colours for a cheap punch. Give yourself exercises in limiting colours, and see what you can do. You might be pleasantly surprised. This is one thing that seems counter-intuitive, but I have found to be true: when we have limits imposed, our creativity is forced to transcend the regular ways of doing. Thus, we might actually learn something! Something new! Imagine that.

Sometimes I just work a small canvas on my lap. Other times, I bring a folding tripod easel. Others I know have folding easel backpack affairs that actually carry the tubes of paint and brushes, and so forth. Find whatever suits your inclination and budget, and go for it! Now is the time to start dreaming of Spring, and with better outdoor weather, sketching and painting in the great outdoors.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive:Using Sketchpads

A sketchbook is an invaluable tool, and I would encourage you to use one if you don't already. If you make a habit of taking a sketchbook everywhere you go, and using it every day, ideas for projects will start coming to you with increasing frequency. You will be priming the pump, and the creativity will flow.

One exercise you can try is to set a goal of filling several pages each day in your sketchbook for a set period of time, say, a month. No need to fuss about the quality of the ideas or execution; the goal is not to create a masterpiece, but to get the creative juices flowing. Try it, and I guarantee you will learn a lot.

I tried this for a six-week period over 10 years ago, filling five pages each day, no matter what was going on, regardless of whether I "felt like it" or not, and was amazed at what came out during that period. I still look through that six-week record of sketches and thoughts on paper, and, believe it or not, those pages are still fresh for me, and a source of ideas and inspiration.

Aim to keep your sketchbook entries loose and fresh. You can try using watercolour and a large brush, to force yourself to work the essentials. If you are using watercolour, be careful not to soak on too much too quickly though, or it'll just be a mess. You can use a bit less water, especially after the first wash of colour, if you are working "wet in wet."

If using water media such as ink or watercolour, it's better to choose a sketchbook with a heavier grade of paper than you"d use if sketching with pencils and other dry media.

A sketchbook, and pen or pencil, are all that's required for sketching on the spot when you are out and about. However, if you wish to get more involved, you can use coloured pencils, watercolour pencils or sticks, pastels, or brush and ink or watercolour. There are small watercolour sets in half-pans for this very purpose. And if you already have the tubes of paint, you can pick up a folding travel watercolour pan to take along on your jaunts.

Speaking of jaunts, in next month's tip, I will discuss working "alla prima" in outdoor settings. (By the way, I just spied an excellent book at Bridgewater Art and Photo today, titled Alla Prima and I encourage you to take a peek - very inspiring and full of excellent instruction on this style of painting).

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Charcoals & Pastels

Both charcoal and pastels give a rich effect for drawing that is not replicable using other materials. However, one of the chief complaints I hear about them is how messy these materials are.

I agree, the dust created does cause problems. It is best to have a workspace that you don't mind messing up a little, because just the act of using these materials creates dust which falls on the floor. Using a damp cloth to wipe up this excess powder before it's tracked everywhere does help. I would also recommend the use of a fixative for these materials.

Fixatives can be bought in the form of a spray can or pump, or in a bottle and used with an atomiser that you blow into and spray your drawing. Degas used water misted on his pastels to "fix" them. Fixatives are also beneficial between layers, when you want to overlay another layer of colour, and the buildup is too thick or rubbing off. Also, storage of the drawings is cleaner when fixed, and with a paper in between the drawings to protect them.

Never frame under Plexiglas, as the plastic creates a static charge that will attract the particles from the drawing, fogging the transparency.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Safety First!

It's a new year starting, and one of the many resolutions we make concerns taking better care of our bodies. This applies to artists too. Many art materials can pose hazards and safe usage requires some thought and caution.

There are some false ideas out there I'd like to address concerning the safety of some art materials. I've heard many people say oil paints are particularly toxic. This is a common misconception, which I think has come from comparing artist's oil paint to oil-based house paints. Oil house paints are petroleum based, and full of many toxic chemicals and volatile organic (carbon based) compounds. They smell horrible. This is not true of artist oil paints.

Artist oil paints are made from linseed oil and pigments. Many of the pigments are made from earth powders, such as red and yellow ochres. These pigments are no more toxic than regular clay. However some pigments are based on more toxic pigments, such as cadmium red, and cobalt blue. Many of the paints sold today are called a "hue" of that colour, and are not made from the real pigment; hence they are less expensive and less toxic. Mind you, there is no real problem using paints with cadmiums in them, unless you are eating them, which I don't advise!

Also, it is wise to use latex or vinyl medical gloves when painting, as you would not want paint on your skin.

The pigments I have mentioned above also are found in water-based paints, by the way. So watercolour painters, acrylic painters, and even those working in pastels, should be mindful to use care and common sense when painting. Do not use your mouth to make a point on your paintbrush!

Back to oil paints, the problem is usually more to do with the solvents used to clean the brushes or to make solutions to thin the paint, make glazes and so forth. I have a problem with most solvents as well, due to over-exposure to varsol when studying printmaking in art school. However, I still paint with oils, because I have found an alternative that others with sensitivity might like to try. Eco-House, based in New Brunswick and carried by Bridgewater Photo and Art Supply, produce a paint thinner/brush cleaner solvent that uses terpenes from citrus peel for its power. I have not found these to be a problem. Still, I advise a ventilated room and gloves for the painter.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Shopping for the Artist

Maybe, just maybe, you're a bit of a humbug when it comes to The Season. Nonetheless, I thought it might be a good idea to toss out some gift ideas, just in case. If you are the artist, you can print this off and let it drop where someone might see it. These ideas are good for any time of the year actually, so you can use them when you want to treat the artistic ones you care about - just because you want to, and not because the calendar and peer pressure tells you to!

Sketchbooks: Not all artists these days draw, though many do. And even for those who don't actually draw that much, sketchbooks are very handy to keep track of brilliant ideas as they come. You can't have too many sketchbooks, and they come in all sizes, hardcover, softcover, fancy cover, spiral-bound, leather-bound, you name it. A neat format in sketchbooks now is the Moleskine - same kind used by Matisse and Picasso. A nice little stocking-stuffer.

Nibs, pens, inks: If you do have someone who likes to draw, they will drool over a tantalizing little stash of nibs, pens and inks. J. Herbin, a very old name in French ink, makes delicious inks in sweet little bottles, with names like "Rouge Opera" and "Café du Monde" and they also offer pearlescent inks. You could do up a basket with bottles of ink and pens and a sketchbook. It sounds like something I'd like to receive!

Pencils, pastels, conte sticks, graphite sticks: Maybe ink is not the thing for your artist who likes to work on paper. How about coloured pencils, pastels, conte sticks and woodless pencils (graphite sticks). And let's not forget paper. There are so many kinds of drawing paper available, all just waiting to be marked on. The thrill that's been there since infancy still lives inside, maybe just waiting to be released! For the serious drawer, special papers are an addiction. An expensive one at that. How delightful to receive a bonanza of luxurious thick paper! You can mix it up, textured or smooth, handmade rag paper, Japanese papers; either by the sheet or by the roll or in a packet. Let me tell you, the artist who likes to draw will kiss you when you give the gift of paper.

Paints & brushes: For the non-drawing, non-sketching artists (who, I am told, do exist) there are lots of things an artist needs. The painter in your life loves paint. Big tubes of expensive oil paint in the most expensive colours. (Pigments vary in cost, and paint is priced by how expensive and rare the colouring pigments are). For the beginning painter, a set of oil paints can be a good idea, and throw in a selection of brushes while you're at it, large and small. For oils you'll need bristle. Look back at the column I wrote on brushes if you want more information on that.

For a watercolourist, a sable paintbrush, or several, would be a useful gift, and because they are somewhat expensive, your watercolour painter may currently be doing without! Well, nothing lays down the watercolour paint like a sable brush. Sable is the traditional choice which has not been equaled by generations of synthetics, I don't care what claims the manufacturers make!

Easels & digital cameras: Want to give something big to the artist? How about a new easel? Bridgewater Photo & Art have beautiful hardwood easels from Italy that are very well-priced. The only problem is, they are so handsome, it is almost a shame to get paint on them! And Steve will even show you how to put it together! For those who like to paint outdoors, a travel easel which folds up and also contains space to pack the paints, palette and brushes, is a thoughtful gift.

If the artist you care about does not have a digital camera, now might be the time to give one. Artists can then document their work at their convenience.

Books & gift certificates: Art books are always a treat. A little detective work will help you find out his or her favourite artists, and a good book with a retrospective of the art is a gift that's sure to please. Or a book of a selected group of artists, such as renowned watercolour artists, Canadian landscape painting, or Renaissance portraits; whatever the taste, there's a book out there. For beginning or learning artists, instructional books can also be a hit. Still in the area of print, stocking stuffers could be an agenda or calendar, cards, stationery, or fridge magnets featuring the art of favourite artists.

If you still aren't sure, you can always give a gift certificate for art supplies. Another idea is to give a gift of learning, with a gift certificate for a course or workshop in painting or drawing, of which there are many in our area. For an artist whose work looks best in a frame, a gift certificate for frames or a framer's services is another possibility.

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season, and lots of creative days in 2009!"

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Staring down the blank canvas

Most of us have experienced those days when nothing seems to flow, artistically speaking. Writer's block and artist's block are not that different. There are a lot of books on the go these days that try to address this problem, such as "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron.

I highly recommend anything that can help a person get in contact with their creativity and get the juices flowing. "The Artist's Way" is an approach to those who are having trouble making commitments to their art or craft or creative life in general. Just being STUCK.

However, I have one simple recommendation for painters, for a lesser kind of block: the paralysis that sets in just before you start a painting. All that white canvas! It can be so intimidating. My tip is to try tinting the canvas before you start.

If you have never tried working on a tinted surface, why not give it a try? Somehow it takes some of the stress out of making the first mark. I would recommend applying a coat of tinted gesso over the entire surface. To tint gesso, simply mix in some acrylic paint of the colour of your choice, just a little will do if the pigment content is high. Any colour will do, even black. Grey is actually a nice surface to try. Beige, pink, gold ochre, pick one! You can also use a high quality of gouache to tint acrylic gesso. Be sure to mix thoroughly, or put the cap on the bottle and shake it well.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: All About Paper: Archival Issues II

Last month I talked about the paper we use to create art, and why it is important to use acid-free archival quality paper. At least when what we are making is something we'd like to save. Acid is not an issue limited to the drawings and watercolours on paper though.

Collage is another area where the work is often seen falling to bits in twenty years or less. In collage anything can be - and often is - incorporated, including paper that is not acid-free, such as newsprint, magazine clippings, wrapping paper, etc. Again, you have to decide your purpose. If you are not concerned that your collage be around in decades to come, there's no point limiting yourself. Use whatever. Maybe you are making a vision board, or greeting cards. Longevity may not be an issue.

But if you are a collage artist, or use found objects and materials in your artwork, and you want your work to last, you will have to put some effort into finding materials that are acid-free. Same thing goes for adhesives. Rice or wheat starch paste is traditionally used in bookbinding and collage, and is an archival material. It's quite easy to make, feel free to contact me if you want to know how. PVC glue (the white common glue) is also supposedly archival. Acrylic polymer gels and pastes that are of good quality may also be used.

Painters in oil and acrylic also have to take measures to make sure their supports are not speeding the breakdown of the applied paint. Wood for example, is high in acid, and painting directly on wood, whether plywood panels or masonite, requires the wood be treated to ensure the paint will not be adversely affected by acids leaching out of the wood. Coatings of gesso will seal the wood panels and prevent direct contact with the paint. Some recommend the wood be gessoed on both sides plus edges, to prevent acid leaching.

If you are going through the trouble of framing an artwork, the matboard and the backing materials should all be acid-free, as should any framing/sealing tape. Materials used to glue or position art, should also be acid-free. Same goes for storing artworks - interleaving, cardboard, folders, plastic - all should be acid-free. Especially if stored for any amount of time (i.e. more than a few weeks).

Some artists pooh-pooh the idea of taking responsibility for using archival materials and processes. Their attitude is "Oh, I'll just let the art conservator's take care of that problem in the years to come." Well, if you were buying a Persian carpet, and it started to unravel and come apart after a few years, would you not be upset? If you are going to ask people to pay good money for your work, why not make sure the quality of your work is as good as you can make it? Besides, the conservators already have their hands full taking care of 500-year old masterpieces, not to mention the works of Jackson Pollock!

A word on documentation of artworks. Nowadays, dvd and cd storage is touted as the answer to storing information, such as photos of your artwork. However, like all things, these media also break down over time. The plastic coating which records the information is not going to last as long as you might think. Many years less than a vinyl record for example! And certainly less than paper that is acid-free and properly stored. The solution is to regularly back up your cd-stored material, using new cds each time. And I'd hard-copy it all as well. On photographic slides and archival photo prints (on - you guessed it! - archival paper) and for text information, on more paper. Oh dear, all those poor trees! And the digital age was supposed to save all that paper!

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: All About Paper: Archival Issues

Have you ever had a newspaper left in the bright sunlight for a week? Say, in the rear window of your car? Maybe your car is very tidy, unlike mine. Well, let's say it was lying in any window spot, exposed to sunlight. And perhaps it was half covered by something else, such as a pillow. You pick it up and notice your newspaper has turned dark yellow already, except in the place where the pillow was covering it. This is a prime example of two important phenomena: the effects of ultraviolet light on paper, and of the archival - or not - quality of paper.

Why should you care about archival matters? You are, in all likelihood, not an art conservator! Well, you might not care about your old newspaper. But if you are trying to create something called art - even something not called art that you want to last more than last week's news - these are issues requiring your attention!

Regarding sunlight, suffice it to say that no artwork should be exposed to direct sunlight. Ultraviolet light breaks things down. Not just your skin. Light exposure will cause colours to eventually fade, some faster than others, and will also speed the breakdown of paper.

Paper is made up of cellulose fibres from plants. If you are eating celery and end up trying to chew up stringy straw like stuff because it was not fresh juicy celery, then you know what cellulose is. Cellulose is what plants make cell walls out of ("cell" . . . "cell" - ulose) and the nature of the cellulose in a particular plant determines the type of paper you end up with

Most paper in common use today is made from wood pulp cellulose. Unfortunately (from an art point of view) wood contains a high percentage of lignans, which are like glues that hold plant cells together. Over time, they become more acidic, turn brown, and prevent cellulose fibres from binding together; the result is the breakdown of paper made from wood pulp. Paper with lignans will self-destruct over time. This can be dealt with by processes that remove lignans, but those processes often leave chemical residues that in turn cause deterioration of the paper as well.

Cotton, however, has only 1% lignans, as compared to wood (20-30%). It is also naturally acid-free, unlike wood. Paper made from cotton will have inherent protection that paper made from wood pulp will not. Most of the famous brands of watercolour, drawing and printmaking paper; the French paper mill Arches, for example, has been making paper from cotton since the 15th century.

Many art papers will specify "acid-free." These are the best ones to choose for your art projects. I even use sketchbooks and sketch paper that is acid-free. Oh the heartbreak when whipping off sketches in life drawing, and one comes off that is a gem you really want to keep, and it's on newsprint! Save the newsprint for scribbling, jotting, working out design elements; if you are doing something you might want to save, use acid-free paper.

Of course, don't take your expensive rag paper for rough quick 1-minute gesture poses! Plain tablets of sketch paper, packets of sheets, sketch books and journals, can now be had in acid-free paper. For those I would not worry too much if they are not from cotton paper. If it is acid-free, and not just ph neutral (which can mean it was buffered with an alkaline agent such as calcium carbonate but the acid is still there). Buffered is fine, but make sure it's also acid free if it's something you want to last for a long, long time!

Next month, I will talk some more about paper, and touch on a few more archival aspects in relation to creating artwork on paper.

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: More on brushes!

There's such a selection of paintbrushes available, how do you know which paintbrush to use? First of all, consider what medium you are working in, and what the brush hair is.

If you are working in acrylics, the best choice is not a bristle brush. Hog bristle brushes are a light tan or white colour. Often, the type of hair used is printed right on the brush handle. Bristle absorbs water, which causes the individual hairs to swell; then they become fragile and break. Bristle is best used for oil painting, where the only water used will be to quickly soap it up and rinse, after the brush head has been cleaned with rags and solvent. Basically, you can use any type of hair brush with oils, including synthetics such as nylon or Sablon; and natural hair such as the afore-mentioned bristle, or sable for fine work especially.

For watercolours, synthetic, sable, and squirrel or other animal hair brushes will do the job. Anything except bristle, basically.

If using acrylics it's better to use a synthetic hair brush. I find acrylic tends to dry out brushes, and the synthetics stand up best to this medium. I would never use a sable brush for acrylics for that reason; it's a waste of money!

Now, for the rule-breaker. I buy cheapo multi-pack Chinese hog bristle brushes for applying gesso sometimes. Because they cost so little, it doesn't matter that they don't last. And the beauty of hog bristle is that it is very soft, so gesso goes on with very little streaking or brush marks, if that's what you want.

There's always a drawback though. The cheap brushes lose hair easily, because they are not made very well. So I'm picking hairs out of the primed surface before they dry. And because the water will make the hairs break, those broken hairs also can end up on your gessoed surface. It's a drag. But I still do it! Especially if my regular nylon gesso brush was left to dry in a puddle of something. Bad, bad artist! (Of course, dried-out paint-caked brushes are not a problem; just check last month's tip).

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: What to do with wrecked paintbrushes

Last month, we looked at how to care for your brushes. You may have thought I take really good care of my own brushes, when the awful truth is that I abuse them terribly! They sometimes end up dried and hardened with oil paint or acrylic paint or primer, making them totally useless. Oh, what a waste! Well - not quite. There is a product available for those of us who get distracted now and then.

Of course, do as I say, not as I do! Better to take care of your valuable tools in the first place. But for the rest of us, I recommend Winsor & Newton Brush Cleaner and Restorer. It works like a magic charm on hardened paintbrushes, removing every trace of dried paint. What's more, it's affordable, non-toxic, biodegradable, will not damage the brush head or fibres and leaves no oily residue. It's also non-flammable and non-abrasive, and safe for all types of synthetic or natural hair/bristle.

Simply immerse the brush head in a small amount of the liquid (a jar lid can work as a shallow container) and prop the brush handle so the bristles remain submerged. Leave it and go have some fun. When you come back, simply wipe and rinse, and you've got a new brush. Make sure you rinse well, using soap if you wish, as traces of this cleaner can remove paint if left in the brushes.

If only it were that easy to fix some of our other mistakes!

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©Carmel Rose Smith
Art tip archive: Taking good care of your paintbrush

Brushes are hair - to really get them clean after use I recommend The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver. It will remove all the paint or ink; condition and preserve the hairs and keep a point. Work the soap into the brush hairs with your fingers, starting at the ferrule and working towards the tip. Take care not to crush the hairs down. Gently bend them back and forth, working the soap in, then rinse. Repeat until the soap is clean, rinse, and store your brush upside down. You can use a brush holder (it looks like a wire coil suspended over a can) or tape them to the inside of a glass, point side down (tape the handles, not the hairs!)

If painting with oils, first remove the excess with rag or paper, then gently clean with turpentine, citrus cleaner or some other solvent. Finally, follow the same instructions as above with the soap and warm water. Brushes should never be left soaking while resting on their hairs; the wire-coil brush cleaner mentioned above is great for letting oily brushes soak in solvent before cleaning.