FAS:A Dry and Liquid Media

What is dry media? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using dry media?

Dry media consists of natural or synthetic mineral or plant substances that deposit crystalline or splinter-like fragments in the paper fibers. An advantage to dry media is that it can be easily erased to make corrections. A disadvantage is that smudges can be easily made, which can make a piece appear messy and unprofessional.

List two examples of dry media, two examples of liquid media, and two examples of mixed media from the lesson.

Examples of dry media include, charcoal and silverpoint. Examples of liquid media include, paint and ink. Examples of mixed media include, vellum and encaustic.

What is liquid media? What are the advantages and disadvantages of liquid media?

Liquid media is any material that is in liquid form, created by adding a liquid to a pigment. An advantage is that it tends to be durable. The disadvantages to using liquid media are that it can be costly and difficult to work with.

What is the medium of a work of art?

Medium is the art material that is used in a work of art such as clay, paint or pencil. Describing more then one art medium is referred to as media. In painting, medium can also refer to any substance added to color to facilitate application or to achieve a desired effect.

Look at the two drawings above. Describe the techniques used by each artist in each drawing.

Picture 1: The artist has used broad, striking strokes to create the hair, ensuring lost of dark values. To create the softness, shading, and flow of the face, the artist has used softer lines and incorporated blending techniques. Picture 2: The artist used light pressure to create subtle forms, while still using a degree of shading and shadowing. This artist however chose to make the values of the entire piece much lighter.

Define the term, technique, and its relation to media. Why is the technique and media used important?

Technique is the way in which an artist creates a work of art, using the media he/she decides to use. The technique and media the artist uses will change the finished results, and the messages and/or feelings it conveys to the viewer.

Describe the factors that influence the character of the lines in a painting? How?

The factors that influence the character of the lines in painting include both the pressure of the artist's hand and the width of the brush. The amount of pressure the artist uses will determine the amount of paint that gets deposited, and therefore the width of the line. The brush width also changes the size of the line. If the brush is turned so the thick side touches the canvas, then the line will the thick, and it the brush is turned so the thin side touches the canvas, the opposite will occur. An artist could also switch between the thin and thick side while drawing a line, which would make a line that slowly changes size.

Look at the piece above. What type of medium was used to create this piece? How were the different values achieved? What makes this medium challenging?

This piece is an example of silverpoint. The values in a silverpoint work are created by using a thin wire that is held by a cylinder-shaped holder. The artist must slowly build up scratches overtime, in order to created darker values. The greater the etching or scratching, the darker the value. This medium is challenging because it cannot be erased and it takes a long time.

Name the piece of art above and its artist. What media did the artist choose for this piece and why?

This piece is by German artist Anselm Keifer, and is entitled, Heath of the Brandenburg March. The artist chose to use a mixed media of oil, acrylic, and shellac, which he painted onto burlap. The artist was coming to grips with his country and its past. He wanted to create a piece that was rough and would convey a message of anguish.

Define the two main types of mixed media and their purpose(s).

Vellum is created by painting on a type of parchment material or on a surface made from the skin of a young calf that has been stretched out. It was particularly used to create illuminated manuscripts, but isn't used much today. Encaustic is created by mixing pigment with hot wax. The artist sculpts the material into place, and can reheat it if it harden and he/she wants to make changes.