The Fire Risk of Aluminium Painting Panels for Art

Yesterday I said I'd follow up on the use of an aluminium panel by the winner of Episode 4 of Portrait Atist of the Year 2025 (see yesterday's blog post Review: Episode 4 of Portrait Artist of the Year 2025 (Series 12)

I think I'm going to need a LOT more time on this topic....

My next post will follow after a lot of time has been spent researching products, querying suppliers and getting answers to questions. I may do a survey....

FIRE RISK of aluminium panels

There was one VERY BIG and very significant issue which arose when I started querying "aluminium panels".

This post relates to the FIRE RISK issues for aluminium PANELS - and is by way of being a warning to be VERY, VERY CAREFUL if you want to try painting on aluminium.

The fire risk of artist aluminum panels depends entirely on the panel's composition: 

• bare or anodized/painted aluminum is non-combustible (Class A1), 

• but composite panels (ACP) with a flammable plastic core, such as polyethylene (PE), pose a significant fire hazard. 

• The main danger comes from the core material, which can burn rapidly once exposed to fire, releasing a large amount of heat, while the aluminum sheets themselves have a high melting point and do not contribute to the fire. Google AI

Bottom line:

• sheets are safe
• panels are not - if they are sandwiched using a polyethylene core

Various images of aluminium supports for artists

- as seen on Google Images in response to the query

"aluminum composite panels aluminium panels for artists"

I'm raising this concern, because

• the art materials industry appears to be happy to call them "panels"
• in complete ignorance of the horrendous reputation of aluminium composite material panels which caused the Grenfell Fire.

I think they'd be more correct to call them "sheets" - but I'm not actually sure what they are supplying - because of the total lack of technical specification sheets. I also find this worrying given the manufacturers' generally tarnished reputation for being open and transparent about risks - and the inaccuracy of the tech spec sheets they provided.

In principle, Aluminium SHEETS are a uniquely fireproof material - they are solid and non-combustible as pure aluminium.

• it has a natural oxide layer that prevents the metal reacting with oxygen and causing ignition. 
• it is non-flammable: solid aluminium does not catch fire. Solid aluminum itself is non-combustible and is in the highest fire-safety class (A1 or A2). 
• It melts at a high temperature (660°C) and deform
• but it will not combust and does not contribute fuel to a fire.

However, Aluminium PANELS were one of the main reasons why the fire accelerated up Grenfell Tower and killed so many people. 

• These panels were aluminium front and back but sealed with a Polyethylene Core - and it was this core which was inflammable. 
• thin aluminium deforms quickly when exposed to flames/heat - exposing the inflammable core to flame
• These composite panels were used in the refurbishment of the exterior of Grenfell Tower - and were one of the primary causes of the way the fire accelerated up the building at great speed. 
• The polyethelene core burns very fast at high temperatures. ( as in the Building Reseach Establishment had to abandon a fire test on composite panels at the fire safety centre after starting the test - because the fire was totally out of control! See one of the reports where the material completely failed the test)

Such panels can be as thin as 3mm. This is one manufacturer's description.

Aluminium composite panels (also known as Alupanel or Dibond sheets) are a high-quality, lightweight sheet material made of a polyethene core sandwiched between two aluminium skins. Available in a thickness of 3mm and a range of colours and finishes, this rigid product is suitable for both outdoor and indoor applications.

It is possible to make an aluminium composite panel with non-flammable material - but to be sure it is safe this needs a fire certificate issued by a reputable third party.

The problem is that the Manufacturers also refer to the ACPs as "SHEETS" when they are actually panels i.e. marketing is what they use to sell their products! Panels are now the recognised problem so it's "better for the bottom line" to call them sheets.

Obviously there are some crucially important distinctions which need making between literal "Aluminium Sheets" and "Aluminium Panels" and "Aluminium Panels which might be called Sheets"

Artists need to beware that:

• they are only buying from reputable art suppliers 
• who in turn are only buying from reputable manufacturers.
• they MUST NOT use aluminium building panels or any panel with a polyethelene core

The risk issue is not helped by the fact art suppliers are apt to refer to them as PANELS whereas they appear to be SHEETS. 

The other concern I have is there's not much transparency as to which company makes the aluminium sheets. Just as the manufacturers of the aluminium panels on Grenfell were completely opaque to the point of downright lies re the fire risks associated with the panels. The issue here being are the manufacturers actually reputable and trustworthy? 

As in really?

Preliminary conclusion

Make your art on aluminium which comprises two thin aluminum sheets with a polyethylene core and should there be a fire, you may see all your art go up in flames very fast - plus the room / building holding them

Artists wishing to use "aluminium panels" have to 

• be aware of the consequences for anywhere these are stored should a fire occur
• decide whether you are prepared to accept the fire risk associated with composite panels - and all associated and necessary precautions. 

CONCLUSION: I'd like to see 

• complete TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION sheets for all aluminium sheets and panel products
• supplied and visible on the websheets of ALL suppliers of "aluminium panels" for artists.

I've had artists tell me it is a wonderful surface to paint on - but artists also need to be 100% confident that it is also a safe surface to use and store.

READING

• How the products used in Grenfell Tower’s cladding system were tested and sold | Inside Housing
• Grenfell Tower inquiry: 9 things we now know about the cladding | BBC News

(NOTE: I should explain that on night of June 14-15 2017, I watched Grenfell Tower burn all night due to switching to the news before going to bed - after a late night. I also used to live at the top of a tower block after graduation. I went on to become a regular listener to the Grenfell Tower Enquiry podcast during my daily walks and was absolutely appalled at what I heard about the disregard by aluminium manufacturers for people's safety )

Holbein: Drawing, Painting, Materials & Techniques

The Holbein at the Tudor Court Exhibition at the King's Gallery closes today. I'd spent forever making up my mind about when to go - but not booking - and then realising I need to get a move on. Which is how come I saw it yesterday. You can see some of my pics from it on my Facebook Page

To be absolutely honest, I enjoyed the "Holbein in England" exhibition at Tate Britain in 2007 much more and it remains a vivid memory for me. (see Holbein in England - and at Tate Britain). Mainly because it which contained more portraits by Holebin including my favourite Holbein portrait "A lady with a Squirrel' plus Holbein's portrait of Erasmus

The Kings Gallery exhibition had three parts about artworks by Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543)

• mainly paintings from other artists of the same era
• drawings by Holbein and miniature portraits by Holbein
• large paintings and some large portraits and more drawings by Holbein + four miniatures by Holbein

One of the most interesting part of the exhibition came after the exit. A small exhibition in one room at the top of the stairs contained information about Holbein's art materials and the techniques he used for his portrait drawings and also his miniatures.

Holbein: Materials and Techniques

A view of part of "Holbein: Materials and Techniques"

I promptly took photos of all of it and have uploaded them all to an album on Facebook on my Facebook Page called Holbein: Materials and Techniques - so 

• if you missed it or you enjoy finding out about the materials used by artists in the past, you can have a peek and see for yourself.
• I've also added comments about specific materials and techniques where I knew something which wasn't included in the exhibition.

There are also more resources about Holbein on the Royal Collection website - listed below

• Holbein's Portrait Drawings - about how Holbein created his drawings
• Holbein in the Royal Collection
• images of the Holbeing drawings and paintings in the Royal Collection

What I find interesting is that Holbein was a royal artist - he was appointed the King's Painter in 1536.  To all intents and purposes his stay in England related to his contacts within the Royal Family and the Tudor Court. 

I've not yet found an explanation for why so many of the better known paintings by Holbein are NOT in the Royal Collection. For example, 

• the 'cartoon' drawing of King Henry VIII by Hans Holbein the Younger is in the National Portrait Gallery. This was made in preparation for the very large painting which used to hang in Whitehall Palace - but was destroyed in the fire in1698.
• The Ambassadors - which is a very large, important and unique painting - is in the National Gallery.

The other interesting fact about Holbein is just how many portraits there are by artists "after Holbein". He was a much copied artist. There again he is regarded as one of the most important portrait artists ever!

If you look at the collection of Holbein portraits and drawings in the National Portrait Gallery, you'll find that most are "after Holbein"

ASTM Pastel Lightfastness Standard D8330-20

This will interest all pastel artists - specifically those who are interested in the lightfastness of pastels and the new technical standard for how lightfastness is tested.

I've been a long-time proponent of lightfastness which is how I got involved in how lightfastness standards are developed and the testing involved. 

I first wrote about the development of a lightfastness standard for pastels back in 2010 - in A Lightfastness Standard for Pastels: current status. As a result of this I was invited to become a member of the ASTM Subcommittee D01.57 on Artist Paints and Related Materials - albeit have never made it to a meeting since they've traditionally been held in the USA! I stuck to commenting from a distance!

This was followed by a second post - ten years ago(!) - called UPDATE! Standard Specification for Artists Pastels

Finally the Standard was published in 2020 - but for some reason passed me by at the time! Maybe other things were happening!!

Below you will find two videos, produced by the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS),  about the new (in 2022) Lightfastness Standard for Pastels published by the American Society for Testing and Materials - now better known as ASTM International.

The Visual Appearance of Light Testing Results - from the video talk by Michael Skalka
from left to right: the colour not exposed to light, the colour exposed indoors, the colour exposed outdoors

ASTM D8330-20: Standard Specification for Artists’ Pastels

Below are two videos - made in 2022 - which comment on the process and the technical aspects of testing for lightfastness.

• the first is a talk by the man who has been responsible for steering all the lightfastness standards on art materials
• the second is a discussion between Council Members of IAPS about how they were involved with the process of developing the standard

IAPS ASTM Pastel Standard (54 minutes) - this lengthy video has an explanation by my good friend Michael Skalka,  the longtime Chair of ASTM Subcommittee D01.57 on Artist Paints and Related Materials, about 

• the rationale for the development of the Lightfastness Standard
• the benefits of the Standard
• addressing criticism of the Standard
• plus a demonstration of some of the test results across different colours (which accounts for why I got heavily involved with lightfastness well over 15 years ago - when I saw the same results for coloured pencils using different pigments!)
• plus a visual summary of the test results - which highlighted which pigments did very well and why dyes used for pastels produced very poor results
• Conclusions about the overall process - highlighting the lack of engagement by both manufacturers and artists

Since Michael retired from his work in Conservation at the National Gallery in Washington, he's started a website called The Syntax of Color and I wrote about Michael and new developments in Michael Skalka knows about art materials!

IAPS ASTM (11 minutes)

The second is a "talking heads" video which focuses more on the ongoing relationship IAPS had with ASTM in the development of the standard over many years.

A conversation with IAPS Materials team - Richard McKinley, Shirley Anderson and Susan Weber about the ASTM pastel lightfastness standard.

The IAPs developed an Art Materials Team and have worked together with ASTM - to help finish the testing and build a bridge between the artists and the manufacturers.

Note: You can read current news from IAPS here. This INCLUDES an article about ASTM and Lightfastness of Pastels.

My own informal testing process

I have my very own lightfastness tests going on, on the walls of my home.

I have to say that, compared to other media (notably coloured pencils), I am very impressed with the quality of colour of artworks produced using Unison Pastels.

VIDEO: How Willow Charcoal is made

I'm going to start a series of posts about how art materials are made - and I'm starting with how willow charcoal is made.

First a preamble. I'm now halfway through my 12 week (minimum) post ankle fusion surgery recovery period and I'm beginning to feel more myself. (Notwithstanding a horrendous 36 hour episode this week when I discovered my hypersensitive skin was allergic to the liner of my new walker boot! Now thankfully resolved.). 

So I'll be looking to trying to post more - but with an emphasis on shorter posts for the time being.

Given I'm still 100% non weight bearing on my right ankle, this means I'm very much limited to commenting on:

• videos online
• art on television
• books I've already got
• photos I've taken

So here we go with the first in the series.

What is Willow Charcoal?

Artist quality willow charcoal made by Coates Willow Charcoal

Willow Charcoal is a dry art medium. The charcoal is 

• made from burning willow
• NOT compressed 
• there are no other ingredients i.e. no binding agent as you get with compressed charcoal

It's a form of charcoal which has particular characteristic much loved by fine artists. 

Artist Quality Willow Charcoal  (like vine charcoal) is 

• very soft and marks paper easily
• capable of producing a wide range of marks and tones
• not as dark as compressed charcoal
• BUT erases almost completely if you want to use it for an under-drawing

How is Willow Charcoal made?

Below are two YouTube videos about Coates Willow Charcoal - made by Jacksons Art.  Coates are one of the world’s biggest producers of willow charcoal for artists.

The videos are:

• HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: How Willow Charcoal is made (On Location with Coates) This first short video is purely visual - watching the process from start to finish. It's aesthetically pleasing in both visual and audio terms - so kudos to whoever made the video. The camerawork is well thought through, the editing is fantastic and it tells you all you need to know without saying a word! (the words come next - but there are captions is you permit them!)
• INTERESTING: In Conversation with Nicola Coate from Coates Willow Charcoal | Jackson's Art - The second video is an interview with Nicola Coates from the Coates family business which farms willow and produces the charcoal. She explains how the development of artists willow charcoal came about and how they set up production on their farm. She goes on to explain how labour intensive its production is - and all the different stages it goes through.

How Willow Charcoal is made (On Location with Coates) (1 min 49 seconds)

In Conversation with Nicola Coate from Coates Willow Charcoal (13 minutes)

You can also read more about the production process in this Jackson's blog post From Field to Charcoal: Coates Willow Charcoal. (December 2019) written following the production of the first video

This article charts a day in the life at Coates, a truly unique family run business that has manufactured willow for over 200 years and is one of the largest producers of artist charcoal in the world. 

More about Coates Willow Charcoal

Michael Skalka knows about art materials!

I first "met" (as in online) Michael Skalka many years ago when I was looking into the lightfastness of art materials. At the time, Michael was 

• Chairman of the D01.57, Artists' Paints and Related Materials subcommittee of the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) - which he still chairs.
• Conservation Administrator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington (for over 37 years) - where he managed the daily operations of the Conservation Division. He retired recently.

We started to correspond about lightfastness and have continued off and on over the years. 

Since he retired he's started a retirement project and is posting about fine art materials on his new website/blog Syntax of Color. This site provides a HUGE amount of expert and reliable information about fine art materials and their constituents (past and present) - which is very accessible.  I did a massive online colour project back in 2008 and learned an enormous amount about colour and pigment/materials performance (and have continued to remain interested in the topic ever since) - but Michael continues to publish consistent good quality information on a regular basis which I've not come across before which is both very interesting and informative. Plus he writes well!

I highly recommend Syntax of Color to all those interested in using colour in their art and looking to develop their knowledge of the fine art materials they use.

FIND OUT more about what it covers below - it also covers a number of related fine art materials for painters.

What does Syntax of Colour cover?

The Syntax of Color website provides the following - with examples:

• Various posts about PIGMENTS and different colours - including ones from the past  e.g.
• Through Thick or Thin? - a commentary on the thickness and viscosity of paint in tubes
• Permanent Green Light - how it came about and how to make it
• Henry Levison: A Debt of Gratitude - a history of permanent pigments
• HISTORICAL Artist Materials e.g. 
• Frankly My Dear, I Don’t Give a Lake! - about the origins and traditions of lake pigments and paints
• CHEMICALS used in Art  e.g.
• The Unvarnished Truth - a commentary on the use of old and contemporary varnishes for paint

While not having done a survey, I would safely say that no conservator would advocate the use of epoxy resin as a surface coating for a work of fine art.

• COLOR MEASUREMENT  e.g.
• The Color of Everything - about the contribution of the brewing industry to the measurement of colour.
• informative posts about HEALTH and SAFETY e.g.

How to paint the Mona Lisa - a Channel 4 documentary

This is an alert to say you can see my old friend Adebanji Alade tonight on Channel 4 documentary called "How to Paint the Mona Lisa" 

• on the More4 Channel 
• at 9pm 
• today (Wednesday 29th September, 2021) 

Adebanji Alade is the Vice President of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI) and has made a name for himself beyond art gallery exhibitions and with a wider community of television viewers in recent years through his many appearances in art related events on television - notably on the BBC.

This time he's the main man in a Channel 4 documentary about painting the Mona Lisa.  

Artist Adebanji Alade unlocks the secrets of the world's most iconic painting while making a replica using traditional methods. What will the experts think of the finished piece?

You can see him getting excited about it on his Facebook Page

Here's a 40 second preview - and it looks fascinating as he finds out about all the materials and techniques used by Leonardo da Vinci - and has a go at painting the famous painting himself.

Should be good - I'll be watching.

Below you can see another video - done for the ROI - of a his studio tour

How to see inside art materials / supplies shops

I've just discovered something which allows me to see inside shops which provide art materials, equipment and related supplies - on my own screen!

It's probably been around forever but I've never ever seen it before. I suspect this might be because, this age of ordering online, shops are making greater use of it to market their premises as a "go to" place for art materials, equipment and other supplies.

How to see inside art materials shops

So what you do is 

1. Go to Google Maps
2. put the name of the shop into Google Maps 
3. Click search
4. Click on the picture of the shop which comes up top left of Google Maps

What happens next is you get to see all photos posted on Google which relate to that shop.

SCORLL DOWN on the left hand column to see all the available photos - and you get a really good idea of the amount and type of art materials available in the shop.

Check out some art shops

Below are some art shop where this works. 

Why not have a go yourself with the art shops you know - or have always wanted to visit?

UK - London

L. Cornelissen & Son, Great Russell Street, London

Is Venetian Red the key to the zappy red in Thomas Lawrence's portraits

For years I've been trying to work out why the red much used by Thomas Lawrence in his portraits should look so vibrant and have remained in such good condition to this day.

This post is about a possible explanation involving a colour - Venetian Red.

About Thomas Lawrence

Sir Thomas Lawrence (13 April 1769 – 7 January 1830) was a leading English portrait painter and the third president of the Royal Academy of Arts - holding the position for the years 1820-1830.

Born in 1769 his talents found early recognition and he became something of a child prodigy among the fashionable crowd of the 1770s.

When he became the effective successor to Sir Joshua Reynolds after Reynold's death, he was able to command fees far in excess of other portrait painters and he made (and spent) a lot of money. He was knighted after painting the victors of Waterloo.

I first came across Lawrence in 2010 - at an exhibition of his portraits at the preview of the major exhibition Thomas Lawrence: Regency Power And Brilliance at the National Portrait Gallery  (There are 689 portraits by Lawrence listed by the NPG in their index of artists and sitters)

About Lawrence's approach to portrait painting and use of red

This is my Exhibition Review: Thomas Lawrence at National Portrait Gallery which summarises both his career and comments on his approach to portrait painting and his use of colour. I won't repeat the background here except for this comment

"his use of colour is absolutely stunning - he uses vivid colours and in particular a deep red to exceptional effect"

Lawrence's portraits in the exhibition

"(I) wondered why his paintings look so fresh and which sort of red he has used which continues to look good some 300 years later. The curator I spoke to confirmed that these these are some of the best looking portraits they've ever had on display and yet there's no or very little evidence of restoration or cleaning."

Besides being an excellent portrait painter, he very clearly knew a lot about how to use art materials to ensure a portrait painting had both impact and longevity.

Red is a colour which immediately attracts attention. Most of us know it is as a "come and look at me" colour.

The really odd thing is that while paintings by other artists of his era may look good, inspection up close shows that the paintwork has deteriorated in some way or other - or may just have changed colour. Especially if a colour which is frequently seen as prone to losing saturation.

By way of contrast, Lawrence's portraits all looked as if they'd been painted the previous year and the reds were all exceptionally vibrant and in good condition.

I was immediately intrigued as to how come his paint looks so good compared to other painters. I concluded it had to be something to do with how he mixed his paints and what he used for pigments and media - and maybe what he used for a varnish.

Making A Mark is a Top 10 art blog in 2021 - again!

Making A Mark has again been named one of the Top Ten Art Blogs in the UK in 2021.

Which means I get to put a new image in the side column of this blog to indicate this

 

The Top Ten Art Blogs

I record the blogs which get listed each year - mainly because the URL stays the same and hence the listing is lost

You can see from the art blogs that there are a lot which have stayed the same and ......

• a number have been around for a very long time - and we've all been in this listing together for ages!
• there is a distinct bias towards street art
• there is a preponderance of team blogs - and I've indicated below which are solo efforts and which are team blogs

Vuelio uses a proprietary algorithm to create these rankings, based on topic-related content in blogs on its system – you can read more about the process here. 

 For the record, the top ten art blogs in 2021 are listed below:

1. StreetArtNews (TEAM BLOG) - Urban art for "art geeks". This blog has been around since 2009.  I've always thought of this one as a team blog -  I think the giveaway is that Rom Levy is described as Founder & Editor-in-Chief 
2. Jackson's Art Blog (TEAM BLOG) - I always highly recommend this blog for all those interested in art materials and techniques with art materials. This is a team blog and its most regular writers are Julie Caves, Clare McNamara and Lisa Takahashi - with contributions with other occasional writers
3. We Make Money Not Art (SOLO BLOG) written (somewhat irregularly) by Régine Debatty - and which seems to have been around forever. 
4. Art Plugged (moves up one place) - a contemporary online platform which features art news from across the globe and interviews with artists.  Basically you can't read the posts unless you register and join the Art Plugged Community. It's one way of driving up subscriptions. Unclear whether it's solo or a team, effort but it's definitely commercially driven.
5. Hookedblog (SOLO BLOG moves up one place) - Created by Mark Rigney in 2005 and focused on the street art scene
6. ArtWeb Blog (TEAM BLOG)  says it's "For Aspiring And Professional Artists On The Internets".  Basically a front end for selling artist websites. However it does have useful content for those trying to develop online marketing. 

7. 

   Making A Mark (i.e. me) at an exhibition

   MAKING A MARK (SOLO i.e. Just me! ;) Except I started it in 2006, and since then it has received over 5.4 million visitors and 16.8 million page views - from visitors from all over the world.  I'm always absolutely amazed at the number of people it reaches. 40% of visitors come from the UK, 25% from the USA and the remainder from the rest of the world. Mainly focused on the UK but lots of content is more generic and applicable to artists all over the world.  I've got used to people who recognise me and stop me in the street when I'm walking to and from an art exhibition in London - despite the fact I post very few full face pics of myself!! I'm very struck by how pedestrian my blog design is compared to others - but it works for me....
8. Inspiring City (SOLO BLOG) - another covering the urban / street art scene set up by Stuart Holdsworth in 2012. He also does podcasts
9. Scribblah (SOLO BLOG) - Selling artwork from a blog. Rose Davies describes herself as: ‘artist, printmaker, scribbler, ageing headbanger, feminist, activist, mad-cat-woman, cake-maker, accidental-archaeologist, mud-wrangler, wild, Welsh and opinionated’ - so more than just about art!
10. The Primary Art Class (SOLO BLOG) - I think Emily Gopaul's blog is a wonderful idea and will doubtless be invaluable to all primary school art teachers - and parents!

A number of these have been in the top ten for a long time. I get that's the payoff for being persistent in our blogging!

REFERENCE:

• Making A Mark is a Top 10 UK Art Blog - again! (2020)
• I'm in the spotlight! - profile of me in 2017
• Making A Mark is a Top 10 Art Blog in the UK 2017

Syntax of Color

I want to highlight a website called Syntax of Color which aims to focus on Art Materials and Colour. 

Highly recommended for art materials nerds like me - and those wanting to expand their knowledge of the art materials they work with currently - and might like to try in future.

This website is actually resurrecting an old site with updated and new material. 

After a considerable hiatus, the art materials website devoted to pigment history stories, interviews with artists and manufacturers, reviews of art materials and items of interest in the world of ASTM will be refreshed and renewed. Also a MAJOR name change has taken place. The old Grammar of Color is evolving into the Syntax of Color. We're back.....

"Syntax of Color" aims to educate artists and share information about art materials by exploring:

• Syntax of Color - Essays on the History of Pigments and Art Materials
• Product Reviews - Descriptions of Products and How to Use Them
• Interviews - Discussions with Artists and Art Materials Manufacturers (Coming Soon)
• ASTM Discussion Topics - The World of Making Standards for Art Material Manufacturing

The Syntax of Color - Home Page

Michael Skalka - author of Syntax of Color

The website is the idea of a chap who I've been corresponding with on and off for some years.  

Prior to his recent retirement, Michael Skalka was the Conservation Administrator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington for very many years where - among other duties - he looked after The National Gallery's Art Materials Collection.

Since 1993, I have been engaged in learning and sharing with others the love I have for art materials

Michael Skalka has an MFA in Museum Studies, expertise in Art Materials, and has been the Chairman of ASTM subcommittee D01.57 (re. Artists' Paints and Related Materials) for some years - which is how I got to know him.  (Note for new readers: I have been known to bang on online about lightfastness of art media at length - and I'm also a co-opted member of D01.57!)

Bottom line Michael is genuinely interested in increasing awareness of issues relating to colour and art materials - and has no axe to grind other than being somebody focused on quality issues. He also knows many of the technical people from the various art manufacturers.

Content of Syntax of Color

Here's a sampler of its content to date - with some quotations to get an idea of content. 

• Michael writes well and with authority. 
• If there is one thing I'd like to see him add it's shorter paragraphs and spaces inbetween! (i.e. techniques for writing for online as opposed to printed papers)

Colours

He focuses on old as well as current colours - as one might expect of a man who has worked in conservation for over 25 years.

• The Issue of Black
• Indian Yellow: A Bovine Story
• The Discovery of Thenard Blue (Cobalt Blue)
• Vermilionettes and Royal Reds
• Bodies in the Cellar or The Old and Forgotten (Scheeles Green / Emerald Green)
• The Lead White Pot

Pigments 

Making A Mark is a Top 10 UK Art Blog - again!

I got a nice note from Vuelio this week saying they'd run their algorithm to update their Top Ten Listing of Art Blogs in the UK for 2020 and my blog Making A Mark had made the top 10 yet again.

Currently at #4 in the Top 10, this is the write up Making A Mark got.

A big mover, up five places, MAKING A MARK is for artists and art lovers, and contains news about major art competitions and exhibitions, interviews with artists, techniques and tips for art and business. With a live pageview and visitor count, you know you’re in good company alongside the millions of other readers who have visited the blog since it was created by Katherine Tyrrell back in 2006.

Vuelio have been ranking blogs since 2008. The ranking is calculated according to an ever-evolving algorithm - you can see an explanation in this post. 

The methodology takes into consideration a vast number of factors including social sharing, topic-related content, post frequency, engagement, social media influence, traffic and interactivity.

The benefits of the rankings are various - for Vuelio, their clients and bloggers at large in that they

• set a benchmark for the blogging industry 
• serve as a resource for Vuelio's clients who are primarily in the PR and communications sector.
• allow Vuelio to demonstrate the power, strength and reach of its blogger database and research facilities 
• strengthens their relationship with bloggers. 
• generate traffic for the Vuelio website.

The Top Ten Art Blogs

For the record, the top ten art blogs are listed below:

1. StreetArtNews - which has been around since 2009. 
2. Jackson's Art Blog - which I highly recommend for all those interested in art materials and techniques with art materials. Its most regular writers are Julie Caves, Clare McNamara and Lisa Takahashi. Some of you may remember the latter as the wildcard winner in the Landscape Artist of the Year semi-final in 2018.
3. We Make Money Not Art written (somewhat irregularly) by Régine Debatty - and which seems to have been around forever. 
4. MAKING A MARK - enough said! ;) Except I started it in 2006, and since then it has received over 5.2 million visitors and 16 million page views - from visitors from all over the world. I'm always absolutely amazed at the number of people it reaches. Almost as much as the number of people who recognise me when I'm walking to and from an art exhibition in London - given I post very few pics of myself!!
5. Art Plugged (new entry) - a contemporary creative gallery with a blog which I think will appeal to the younger emerging artist. 
6. Hookedblog - Created by Mark Rigney in 2005 and focused on the street art scene
7. ArtWeb Blog - a blog which is related to an online website for artists. The blog has been around for some time and contains useful content. 
8. Inspiring City - another covering the urban / street art scene set up by Stuart Holdsworth in 2012.
9. The Primary Art Class - I think Emily Gopaul's blog is a wonderful idea and will doubtless be invaluable to all primary school art teachers - and parents!
10. Scribblah - Rose Davies describes herself as: ‘artist, printmaker, scribbler, ageing headbanger, feminist, activist, mad-cat-woman, cake-maker, accidental-archaeologist, mud-wrangler, wild, Welsh and opinionated’ - so more than just about art!

A number of these have been in the top ten for a long time. I get that's the payoff for being persistent in our blogging!

REFERENCE:

• I'm in the spotlight! - profile of me in 2017
• Making A Mark is a Top 10 Art Blog in the UK 2017

I'm building websites in August!

This August I'm building websites for artists and will be back blogging regularly again in September. Apart from the off post here and there to say "I've finished xyz!" 

I do need sometimes to block out time to do things which keep getting postponed or bumped by the here and now.

Two NEW Websites

My BIG AIM is to see whether I can get two new websites with enough content so I can at least publish them as they have languished in draft for too long. These are:

• Tips for Artists 
• Fine Art Materials Guide for Artists

TIPS FOR ARTISTS

TIPS FOR ARTISTS: Basics and Genres

FINE ART MATERIALS GUIDE FOR ARTISTS

Fine Art Materials Guide - for Artists: some of the sections

PLUS Updating Existing websites with new content

ART BUSINESS INFO FOR ARTISTS

I had a lovely day yesterday, getting the introduction to the Professional Practice Section of my Art Business Info for Artists website sorted.

Given the number of people currently being made redundant and hoping they can make a go of being a full-time artist I decided now is the time to get this section sorted!  I'm hoping to start a series of posts in September about things new full-time professional artists need to know about - or anybody aspiring to be one ASAP.

As a result of which content is better organised and the content also flows better on the page

So we have:

• Professional Practice - This has content organised into three sections as follows:
  
• Business HABITS for Organised and Effective Artists
• Real Life as an Artist: Business PRACTICES
• DEVELOPMENT: as an Artist and Manager of an Art Business
• Please tell me what I've left out!
• STARTING OUT: TIPS ​for an Emerging Artist
• What you "need to know"
• PLUS practical advice ​for working as a visual / fine artist

READ ON If you want.....

• to be a success as an artist
• to avoid failing as an artist
• to be successful selling 'daily paintings'
• to sell your art online
• to exhibit your work
• to be more productive
• to be an artist as well as a parent
• to develop your career
• to get representation by a gallery
• talk about the art business online

• TIPS: Being a Professional Artist
• What is a professional artist?
• ​Building a Portfolio Career
• Learn about the business of being an artist
• The Working Lives of Professional Artists
• All about Artists' Residencies

This section covers: various aspects of making a career as a professional artist - including

• being a professional artist - definitions
• the reality of earnings by artists
• building a portfolio career
• professional standards and contractual relationships
• how to avoid legal problems & cons
• reality checks
• ​useful websites for learning more about the business of being an artist

PLUS on separate pages

• The Working Lives of Professional Artists - artists talking about being artists + research into the lives of artists
• Paying Artists: Good Practice & Rates of Pay (Money & Tax)
• Retirement & Pensions - planning for old age and retirement? (Money & Tax)

The working lives of professional artists

 

At the end of the Professional Practice page there is a form in which YOU are invited to tell me about the things which you need to know more about or things you find challenging.

• If I've got content covering your knowledge gaps on the website I'll point you towards it
• Your comments will also influence the order in which I address topics.

A List of UK based Online Art Suppliers

A list of online suppliers of fine art materials in the UK

Due to the closure of all non essential shops as from this morning, all art shops you can visit in the UK should now be closed - which means ordering online or via email or telephone to replenish your supplies of whatever you need for your art.  Or working your way through the stock of art materials you've been building up for some time! ;)

I made a list a little while back of online suppliers for a website I'm building about Fine Art Materials - paints, pastels, pencils, paper, canvases, art equipment etc.

Unlike my list of art shops (which is ordered geographically), this list of online suppliers is organised alphabetically - because of course it doesn't matter where you live or where they are based so long as they can ship to you.You can find that list below. I've not checked every detail of what I've written - but every link should be live.

If you have more online art supplies retailers to recommend please leave a comment - with name and url address and WHY you recommend that supplier.

UPDATEL 25 MARCH 2020: I've updated this morning for links or notes about what websites are saying re Covid-19 Updates

(I've reopened comments and am sincerely hoping I'm not going to go back to the spamfest of the past!!) 

Banner for the as yet unpublished "UK Art Shops and Online Art Supplies"

Important notes

• Pricing: Online suppliers can choose to offer deep discounts on prices found in retail stores. 

• Suppliers who have both retail and online supplies may have two different pricing structures and/or deals which are only available online. 
• Overseas customers should remember to check with their Customs whether they will have any import tax to pay.

• Check the shipping costs and agents used - What might seem cheap on an item by item basis may start to look a lot more expensive by the time you've added in the shipping. 

• Work out what is the best size of order to take advantage of any deals on free shipping. 
• Beware suppliers who use UPS - they have been known to say they called when the artist was at home and knew they hadn't.  Check who the online supplier uses for deliveries.

I've had a twitter reply from UPS to say consider it "lost in transit"
an artist I know 

• You have the option if your supplier is local to choose your own courier to pick up direct from the retailer (if they will allow this). 

• Coronavirus has generated a lot of orders - It's apparent that some of the art suppliers are being overwhelmed with orders for art material for kids. So if you need any art supplies I wouldn't leave it to the last minute - or you might like to try a new supplier who doesn't stock art materials suitable for kids.

• Europe is no longer shipping supplies - so if you want supplies from European suppliers yu'd be well advised to order sooner rather than later - but PLEASE do not order more than you need and DO NOT HOARD!

Attention online suppliers of art materials and equipment!

I will be noting the artists who write and comment either online or via private emails/messages to be about performance.
So if you don't want an adverse comment on your company as a supplier of fine art materials do try to make sure 

• you stick to your delivery timescales 
• and/or make sure art supplies actually arrive!

A

• A.P. Fitzpatrick Fine Art Materials - A unique, specialist art materials store in Bethnal Green close to the very many galleries and artists' studios in the East End of London.  Shop online from specialist supplie Covid-19 Update: All shop business including online sales temporarily SUSPENDED as of 21.03.20.
• Art Discount - Online store for art supplies, craft materials and artist's equipment. They claim massive discounts and speedy delivery. They use reputable carrier services who require a signature on delivery Covid-19 Update: online store is open and operational as usual, UK delivery services remain largely unaffected at this point.
  Unfortunately due to the current circumstances we will not be able to take any further orders for Winsor & Newton Canvases
• Artesaver - Artesaver - The online site for Seawhite. Art Materials at Factory Prices. Art and design equipment and supplies, sketchbooks, holdalls, foamboard, presentation etc... all at competitive prices. (Linked to Seawhite of Brighton - see retail section)
• ArtiFolk - all your art supplies under one roof in the UK. The prices you see are what you pay, no VAT to add, and post and packing only if you spend less than £40 (UK Mainland). You can order online and use either our secure payment facility or pay. Very good reviews.
• Artistmaterial - online home of Turnham Arts & Crafts based at 2 Bedford Park Corner, Turnham Green Terrace, London W4 1LS Tel: +44 20 8995 2872. Covid-19 Update: you can continue to place orders online but there may be delays in delivery

A History of Artists' Pigments

This is for artists who are seriously interested in colour, pigments and their characteristics and their use over time.

What follows are three titles from the publications of the research side of National Gallery of Art in Washington.

• You can download them for FREE 
• I suggest right clicking the title and opening in a new tab.

They are technical and conservation oriented as you'd expect from a National Gallery of Art - but are fascinating nonetheless.

The National Gallery of Art is home to a community of scholars that includes the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts and members of the Gallery’s curatorial, conservation, and education staffs. The National Gallery of Art Library and Gallery Archives offer exceptional resources for scholars and staff, as well as for visitors. The publishing arm of the Gallery sees to a broad distribution of the community’s scholarship.

This is very much a case of one where some serious sponsorship yielded some serious scholarship and a resource available to all.

Artists’ Pigments: A Handbook of Their History and Characteristics, Volume 1

Robert L. Feller, editor | Published 1986 | 300 pages

This volume, the first in a series of four, describes the history, characteristics, and scientific analysis of 10 pigments that have played a major role in the history of painting.

• Indian yellow;
• cobalt yellow;
• natural and synthetic barium sulfate;
• cadmium yellows, oranges, and reds;
• red lead and minium;
• green earth;
• zinc white;
• chrome yellow and other chromate pigments;
• lead antimonate yellow; and
• cochineal and kermes carmine

Artists’ Pigments: A Handbook of Their History and Characteristics, Volume 2

Ashok Roy, editor | Published 1993 | 232 pages

This volume describes the history, characteristics, and scientific analysis of nine pigments originally discussed in articles published in Studies in Conservation between 1966 and 1974, providing updated information reflecting new developments in conservation and technical research.

• azurite and blue verditer;
• natural and artificial ultramarine blue;
• lead white;
• lead–tin yellow;
• smalt;
• verdigris and copper resinate;
• vermilion and cinnabar;
• malachite and green verditer; and
• calcium carbonate whites 

Artists’ Pigments: A Handbook of Their History and Characteristics, Volume 3

Elisabeth West FitzHugh, editor | Published 1997 | 368 pages

This volume, the third in a series describing the history, characteristics, and scientific analysis of artists’ pigments, covers 10 pigments

• Egyptian blue;
• gamboge;
• titanium dioxide whites;
• orpiment and realgar;
• indigo and woad;
• madder and alizarin;
• Vandyke brown;
• Prussian blue;
• emerald green and Scheele’s green; and
• chromium oxide greens.

PODCAST: Ask an Artist interview with Michael Harding

I have two things to tell you if you don't already know:

• there's a new podcast called "Ask an Artist" which is informative, intelligent and really useful. Very much a recommended subscription from me (I'm using the Apple Podcast app - here are some other ways). This is their website https://www.askanartistpodcast.com/
• Michael Harding is making watercolour paints!!! That is of course Michael Harding of Michael Harding Paints.

How do I know this?

I listened to the Ask An Artist podcast interview Meeting Colour Maker Michael Harding published yesterday. (Find the link to to the podcast on this website page - but this is the Apple Podcasts link to the actual podcast)

Michael Harding Paints have a reputation of being the best in the world and in this conversation you will discover what drives Michael's successful business and why he is so passionate about paint!

The interview covers:

• his story as a colour maker over the last 40 years
• masses of information about the practicalities and technical aspects of making colour and oil paint and other products he makes
• the news that he is now making watercolour paints!  

I have to say I scoured his website in the middle of the podcast looking for information about the watercolour paints and there's nothing! It looks as if he's at beta testing stage with artists he works with and that he is maybe going to say something more about them soon - hopefully.

I learned a lot listening to the podcast - and I'm sure you will too!

About Ask an Artist

Professional artists @LauraBoswellart and @PDKeegan are all ready to answer your arty business questions on their new podcast Ask an Artist. To submit your question, visit our website https://t.co/Cj0mnXmS0Z #podcast #peterkeegan #lauraboswell #art #workingartists pic.twitter.com/z2BrYBL31G

— askanartistpodcast (@askanartistpod1) October 26, 2019

Here's some basic facts about the Ask an Artist Podcast.

• it's run by landscape printmaker Laura Boswell and portrait painter Peter Keegan
• it started in November 2019 and to date has produced 21 podcasts. 
• It's obvious to me that they're very well organised because the visit which produced the Michael Harding podcast took place in mid-December 2019!
  
• the strapline is "run by artists for artists" and the evidence from episodes I've listened to date suggests exactly that.
• unlike some artist podcasts this one has a minimal front end promoting the podcast and artists and maximum content on the topic it's focusing on - which makes it so much more accessible and informative - and verylikely to generate repeat listening to future episodes.
• each episode also has a decent page which details what's covered by the podcast
• this is how to listen
• it' a joy to listen to intelligent artists asking really good questions of well-informed people. I'm positive that most artists will find something that interests them and will end up subscribing to future podcasts.
• you can also follow Ask the Artist on:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askanartistpodcast/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/askanartistpod1
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askanartistpodcast

Here's an image of the Laura and Peter who run Ask and Artist - reviewing paint samples with Michael Harding in his colour mill.

View this post on Instagram

Laura and Peter spent an enjoyable morning exploring the Colour-Mill of master paint-maker Michael Harding. Looking at how he makes his famous oil paints and getting a glimpse of his new watercolour range, Peter and Laura interviewed Michal about his journey from artist to paint-maker and to share his extensive knowledge and passion for colour. *Episode released in the New Year!* @mhoilpaints @peterkeeganartist @laura_boswell_printmaker

A post shared by Ask an Artist Podcast (@askanartistpodcast) on Dec 18, 2019 at 4:22am PST