Creating and Mounting Pastel Supports

Two new sections have been added into my 'resources for artists' website dedicated to sharing information about Pastel Paper and Pastel Boards.

In addition to:

• Which is the best pastel ground?
• Comparative Reviews of Pastel Papers and Other Supports
• Brands of Pastel Paper / Supports

it now also includes

• Pastel Grounds - creating your own support - looking at the process and materials required to create your own support. I'd really like to know if there is anybody out there who has produced their own recipe for their own approach which I've not yet found.
• Mounting Boards for Pastel Artworks | How to Mount Pastel Papers and Supports - the different approaches used by different professional artists to mounting pastel paper or a pastel support onto a board prior to commencing the artwork
• VIDEO: Mounting Surfaces with Pastel Painting - plus a video which shows you how one artist creates a mounted support ready for plein air painting

I've included links to all the information that I could find online

However, if you know of any article or online website which provides information which would be useful to share with pastel artists please leave a comment below.

NEW Drawing Books in 2013

2013: NEW Books About Drawing is my new website which will track:

• new drawing books in 2013
• revised editions of some well regarded existing publications
• new editions of some historical books about drawing.

Listings are on a month by month basis - as books are listed for publication (however note that its' not unusual for some of these dates to slip a month or two).

The books listed include:

• art instruction books about drawing and sketching - designed specifically for artists working in drawing media and those keeping sketchbooks / journals.
• academic books about drawing
• catalogues for exhibitions about drawings

I don't include every book published and to be frank my aim is to try and identify quality publications rather than more "same as same as" books and those which I regard as dumbed down.

Perspective and Urban Drawing and Sketching

To be published by Wiley
in February 2012

For those who have difficulty drawing buildings and tackling urban sketching there's some books being published by Wiley early in the New Year which might provide help.  In February, Wiley is publishing:

• the sixth edition of Basic Perspective Drawing: A Visual Approach by: John Montague
• Freehand Drawing and Discovery: Urban Sketching and Concept Drawing for Designers by: James Richards

Although their target audience is students and practising designers, architects, planners, and landscape architects, I'm sure there's bound to be content of interest for anybody who is serious about drawing buildings or anything involving perspective.  They've not got to the "see inside" stage as yet - but could be worth a bookmark for those who have an interest in these areas.

Art History

There are also a number of excellent books coming up about drawings by master draftsmen and famous painters.  Examples include:

To be published by D Giles Ltd

in January 2013

January 2013

• Durer to de Kooning: 100 Master Drawings from Munich which is the catalogue of the exhibition which is coming to the Morgan Library and Museum in New York
• Fine Lines: American Drawings from the Brooklyn Museum - this is very first survey of their renowned collection of drawings

February 2013

• Raphael: Drawings - based on the remarkable collection of Raphael's works in the collection of the Städel Museum in Frankfurt.

March 2013

• Albrecht Dürer: Master Drawings, Watercolors, and Prints from the Albertina - this feels like it ought to be connected to an exhibition but I've yet to spot one

June 2013

• Hopper Drawing (Whitney Museum of American Art) - this is an exploration of renowned painter Edward Hopper’s detailed compositional studies and figure drawings.  It also appears to be connected to exhibitions although I can't yet confirm this from the museum websites.  Here are the 'maybe' dates of the exhibition
• Whitney Museum of American Art (05/23/13–10/06/13) 
• Dallas Museum of Art (11/17/13–02/16/14)
• Walker Art Center (03/15/14-06/22/14)

To be published by YaleBooks
in June 2013

This is what Yale Books (the publisher) have to say about the book

In 1967, Hopper's widow, Josephine Nivison Hopper, bequeathed her husband's artistic estate to the Whitney Museum of American Art, including a fascinating collection of more than 2,000 drawings spanning his entire career. This group of works has never been the subject of in-depth study and many have never been reproduced before. Hopper kept these drawings for personal reference as he revisited various themes throughout his career. Carter E. Foster carefully examines how Hopper used his drawings to develop his paintings, arguing that the artist's work can only be fully understood after in-depth study of these preparatory sketches. Foster also argues that Hopper was, in many ways, a traditional draftsman who methodically developed schematic ideas into detailed studies to refine content.
YaleBooks - Hopper Drawing by Carter E. Foster 

Commentary on Drawing

There's to be a revised second edition of the well regarded Vitamin D book - although I have to say Vitamin D2 doesn't have quite the same ring! 

Vitamin D2: New Perspectives in Drawing will be published in May 2013 by Phaidon and will feature contemporary drawing by 115 artists from around the world.

More drawing instruction and Andrew Loomis

The publishers of the venerable art instructor have not finished - we have one more. Fun With A Pencil by: Andrew Loomis was first published in 1939 and is going to be republished in April 2013 by Titan Books.

More Books about Drawing

Below you can find my other websites relating to books about drawing

The Best Books about Drawing and Sketching
Do you want to learn how to draw? Not sure which book to buy? Want to find out which are the best books about drawing and sketching? SCROLL DOWN to find lin...

2012: NEW Books About Drawing
This site lists BRAND NEW books about drawing and sketching due to be published in 2012 on a month by month basis and highlights major new books which I reco...

2011: NEW Books About Drawing
Find out about new books about drawing and sketching published in 2011 - in hardback, paperback and ebook editions. Listings on a month by month basis but ar...

Studio Product: IKEA Råskog Kitchen Trolley

IKEA is proving to be a very useful place for providing equipment suitable for artists' needs.  My latest find is a Trolley called the Råskog Kitchen Trolley

One of the challenges of drawing with coloured pencils is getting my kit organised.  First I got my pencils into white painting tubs.  Then I got an IKEA Lazy Susan so that I can access them easily - however it would be nice to have all my other drawing equipment as easily accessible and in one place.  I've been thinking of getting a trolley - and spotted this one in the new IKEA catalogue.

IKEA Råskog Trolley

Specification

Materials: It's made of steel with an epoxy power coating.  These are the assembly instructions

Dimensions: The dimensions when assembled are

• Width: 35 cm (13.8 inches)
• Depth: 45 cm (17.7 inches)
• Height: 78 cm (30.7 inches) - that's the equivalent of desk height

Price: It's priced in the UK at £50 - in the USA it's $49.99.  I'm guessing VAT accounts for the rather wonky currency conversion.

Looking at it online, here are the pros and cons from my perspective

Pros

• I love the turquoise colour! (who needs grey?)
• the shelves have edges meaning that "stuff" does not fall off and everything is held securely within the space
• ease of access to shelving - no need to pull out a shelf
• tubs of pencils can be swopped around between the shelves depending on what is in use
• the castors mean it can be moved easily
• the website indicates that the middle shelf is adjustable - however I think they mean it's optional
• Steel means it's robust and can be cleaned easily (helpful for those wanting to use it for paint)
• its dimensions means it doesn't swamp the area when you have it out and it can fit in small spaces when you want to put it away

Cons

• the castors also mean it can move inadvertently - there's no obvious locking device to keep it one place
• the base of the shelves is meshed steel which I'm feeling a little ambivalent about.  Good for veggies and ideal for losing small items? (Probably need to use cartons within the shelves for small items/ things which roll)

I'd be interested to hear from anybody who has bought one and/or anything similar which they'd like to recommend.

More about IKEA for the studio

Previous IKEA items - reviewed on this blog - relate to:

• How to create a Lazy Susan Coloured Pencil Holder
• Hemnes Bookcase x 4 for "The Art Library" #1
• Hemnes Bookcase x 4 for "The Art Library" #2 - RESULT!
• Hemnes Bookcases - after the carpentry!
• Review: IKEA Alex Drawer Unit for paper storage
• Studio Product: IKEA ALEX Drawer unit with 9 drawers

The Big Watercolour Debate - Tubes versus Pans

I've added a new section into Which is the best brand of watercolour paint for artists? - my new "resources for artists" website.

Watercolour paints - tubes and pans. 
Brands represented here include
Winsor & Newton, Rembrandt Van Gogh, Schmincke, Maimeri and LeFranc & Bourgeois

The new section Watercolour Paint: Pans versus Tubes (click to review) examines the Pans versus Tubes debate - and I've rounded up all the references I can find.  Here's three of those links examining the pros and cons of tubes versus pans by people who I rate highly - (1) Bruce McEvoy of Handprint and (2) Roz Stendhal of Roz Wound Up

• handprint : tube vs. pan watercolors
• Pans vs. Tubes? Part One - Roz Wound Up
• Pans vs. Tubes? Part Two - Roz Wound Up

If you have a preference one way or the other - or maybe like both - please vote in the Poll also on the blog - see POLL: Watercolour paints - Pans versus tubes?

If you've written online about your preferences for pans versus tubes or have reviewed the different options please let me know and I'll add a link to your blog to the new website.

The Best Art Books about London and the River Thames

I've recently created a new website - The Best Art Books about London and the River Thames - which was prompted by review of the book Spanning the Thames: The River and Surrounding from the Barrier to Teddington Lock - see Book Review: Spanning the Thames.

It made me ponder on how many good books there are about artists who have painted London and I decided to try and assemble them all in once place.

My new website comprises my recommendations about the best art books about London and the River Thames. You'll find it has three main sections:

• Art Books about London - these are ones which focus on places in London - often places people are trying to get to
• Art Books about the River Thames - the theme of painting at points up and down the River Thames is a popular one and many artists have developed this theme
• Artists and London - some artists are very closely associated with painting London eg Canaletto and Monet to name but two

It includes books by a diverse set of artists past and present

• Edward Bawden CBE, RA (1903 – 1989) was a British painter, illustrator and graphic artist. (This is a link to the Edward Bawden Archive) 
• David Gentleman - a very popular artist who paints London in pen and ink and watercolour
• various artists who have produced sketchbooks of London
• Plus books about the paintings, drawings and fine art prints produced of places in London by artists from the past such as Canaletto, Monet, Whistler and Dore.  

It also includes a lot of artwork related to transport in London.  There has always been a very strong association between good graphic art and its use on the London Underground, in stations and on posters around the capital.

I've not yet finished adding books to this website but this seems like a good start.  I've got the Camden Town Group on my "to do" group and am happy for people to suggest other artists whose artwork about London and the Thames should also be on this website.

I am also planning a guide to the guide books about seeing art in London!

Book Review: Spanning the Thames

Reading Spanning the Thames: The River and Surrounding from the Barrier to Teddington Lockprompted me to think about the number of books there are about the Thames or reference art and artists who have painted the Thames which led to a new website - of which more in the next post!

The Best Art Books about London and the River Thames
Do you like drawings and paintings of London and the River Thames? If you do then you'll want to review the best art books which show you places in London and along the banks of the River Thames.




However, first my review of this book.  The list of artists whose paintings appear in the book is at the end

Title: Spanning the Thames: The River and Surrounding from the Barrier to Teddington Lock

Synopsis: This is a book about the tidal Thames - in paintings, drawings, prints, stories and historical anecdotes. Twenty five artists were commissioned to illustrate their favourite bridges and buildings along the Thames and this book is the result.  These are accompanied by a story or historical commentary by Michael Harrison  The title is of course a pun on the topic of bridges!

Summary review and recommendation: This is a small book for a small niche market.  Those who buy it are very likely to enjoy it a lot - although I'm not sure it will ever find a large audience. I enjoyed both the artwork and the history stories and the background information about the different bridges and buildings along the tidal Thames.  You think you know something - and then you see it in a completely new light and learn something brand new!

Highlights excellent range of good artists - producing good paintings and fine art prints in a range of different ways using different media the diversity in the artwork produced for this project.  strong on figurative landscapes no photorealism (why bother painting if you can photograph it to achieve this result?) interesting stories

Think Again? no artists of note from the past (ie Monet's paintings of London Bridges and the Houses of Parliament in the fog do not feature in this book!).  This isn't a negative but anybody wanting wanting or expecting such paintings need an another book

Who should buy this?: people who love London and/or the the River Thames and/or marine art people visiting London - it makes a great and unique souvenir

Who should not buy this? those who don't like art and prefer photos

Author / (Publisher) Commentary and stories by Michael Harrison / Images by various artists / (Artists Choice Editions)

Technical data: Publication Date 2008 Hardcover - 84 pages, 160 × 160, casebound with dustwrapper, £12.95 ISBN-10: 0955834309 ISBN-13: 978-0955834301 Amazon.co.uk Spanning the Thames: The River and Surrounding from the Barrier to Teddington Lock Amazon.com  Spanning the Thames

The list of artists whose paintings appear in the book are:

• Sarah Adams - Southwark Bridge
• Kelly Allen - Hammersmith Bridge
• Michael Bennallack Hart - Battersea Bridge
• Jason Bowyer - Chiswick Bridge
• Janet Brooke - Canary Wharf
• Paul Cox - Millennium Bridge - 
• Alfred Daniels - Rowing Crew at Putney - I love the fact I've now got some of his work in a book
• Mick Dean - King Henry's Wharf and Limehouse Wharf
• Anthony Dyson - Dry Dock (Cutty Sark) and Millennium Dome - Member of the RE producing wonderful prints
• Francis Farmar - A Boat Race, Putney. - Francis paints places. Do take a look at his website it's delightful - link is in his name.
• John Griffiths - Teddington Lock Absolutely delightful illustrations in line and wash. John Griffiths died on 13 March 2012.  Here's a blog post about his wonderful drawings / prints
• Frank Kiely - The Globe - It's been a pleasure to watch this Irish artist work his way around London over the last few years - recording the buildings and the Thames as he went! 
• Stuart Kolakovic - Hungerford Bridge 
• David Mann - Grosvenor Bridge from Embankment
• Luke Martineau - Boats at Low Tide near Kew Bridge
• Chris Orr RA - Topless in Battersea -  Professor of Printmaking Royal College of Art 1998
• Neil Pittaway - Tower Bridge - a Fellow of the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS) and the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (RE)
• Andrew Turnbull - Thames Wharf
• Roy Willingham - The Thames Barrier
• Joseph Winkleman - The London Eye

The Best Sketching Chair - An Update

This is an UPDATE about the availability of the Phillips Folding Chair which I use for plein air work.  I've written previously about it

• on Making a Mark - In praise of my sketching chairs
• on Making A Mark Reviews - in a more detailed Product Review: Phillips De Luxe Folding Chair which also provided additional tips about travelling with a folding chair

I cannot recommend this chair highly enough for people who want a very good quality chair which will be robust, reliable and longlasting.

• plus highlighted the chair on my Pastels and Pencils website in the Sketching Chair - Phillips Folding Chair part of the section on Art Materials & Other Resources for Artists.

My Phillips Folding Chair on a trip to sketch Walden Pond in Massachusetts in 2006

A Reader's Query

This morning I got an email from a reader of Making A Mark which asked as follows

I've followed and loved your blog for quite a while. Now I have the opportunity to do a 10-day workshop pastel near Avignon in Oct. 2013 and am looking for a portable, comfy travel chair with back support. On your "what I pack when I travel" post you mentioned such a chair. Please can you share the brand? I'm in the U.S. but perhaps could find it over here.

I took a look at the two links I'd previously provided to supplier in the references above and found that neither now led to a live website - partly because both suppliers have updated their websites!

Here then is an update which goes along the lines of first the bad news and then the good news.

I'm setting out the situation as per the different suppliers I know have had it in stock in the past

Green & Stone

This is how Green & Stone list the chair on their Portable chairs and stools page

Phillips Folding Chair

This product is currently unavailable Lightweight metal frame with strong canvas seat and back. Two heights

Lo Luxe Chair | Weight 1.48kg

Seat height : 40cm

62.30

De Luxe chair | Weight 1.6kg

Seat height : 45cm

63.25

That means they do NOT have a folding chair with back support in stock.  They do however have three stools by Phillips available.  I'd certainly recommend Phillips as a good quality brand if you can get on with only having a stool.

Heaton Cooper

Since I last wrote about this chair Heaton Cooper have introduced a super duper new website for art materials and supplies.  This has a Seat Easels, Chairs and Stools page.  This does not have my Phillips Folding Chair - in its original incarnation - either.

Phillips Bag Chair - available at Heaton Cooper

However what it does have is the Phillips Bag Chair - listed as costing £54.50. The product description indicates the following:

• Tubular aluminium frame, compact and easily portable with a shoulder strap.
• Spacious integral bag with zipped side pocket.
• Seat height 18 inch (46 cms), In green Cordura fabric

Which means it keeps the tubular aluminium frame and the green cordura fabric (which is very strong).  The seat height is slightly higher (presumably to accommodate the bag).

I can't find any other supplier online for this product - so if you're after a very reliable sketching chair with a back, then I suggest you give this product a review. The Heaton Cooper Website also allows you to Send To A Friend | Add to Wish List if you want to bookmark this for future reference.

If you balk at the price, I'd just comment I have taken mine on several long haul international trips involving all sorts of carriers and apart from arriving a day late (to my door) on both American trips, it has had absolutely no mishaps.

and finally......

You too can ask me a question and I'll answer it to the best of my ability - or refer you to a person who can!