From Richeson: Casein (kay’seen) is a quick-drying, aqueous medium using a milk-based binding agent, and is one of the most durable mediums in history. Nine thousand year old casein cave paintings have been discovered in Asia, and later, the medium was used by Byzantine, Roman and Renaissance artists including the Old Masters.
Known for their versatility and array of capabilities, casein paints can be used to create a variety of effects from the rich opaques of oil to thin watercolor washes. Because casein has an exceptional integrity of color and always dries to a perfect matte finish, it is unexcelled for art reproduction. The velvety matte finish can also be buffed to a satin sheen or varnished to produce a resemblance to oils. Over time, casein pigments become resistant to moisture and as history has proven, the medium has a durability and permanence which has easily stood the test of time.
Casein differs from other media, yet it shares many of the same characteristics, which make it a very versatile medium that lends itself to many techniques. Casein has the wash capabilities of watercolor, the smooth opacity of tempera and gouache, and the richer textures of oils and acrylics. Brushes dipped in casein keep their finesse, producing clear, crisp lines. Unlike oils, casein is a clean, water-soluble medium requiring no strong solvents. And because it dries quickly, it’s possible to lay on a glaze and move onto the next stage within a few hours instead of waiting for days, or even months, for oil glazes over oil to dry. In comparison to watercolors, the main advantage of casein is that it’s easily correctable. It can be removed with a cloth, brush or eraser. Artists who paint with Casein:Patty Haller, Cennino Cennini, Matisse, Ramon Shiva, Michelle Muldrow, James Gurney, Thomas Hart Benton, Andrew Wyeth
I’m working on a new series of posts about Alberto Giacometti’s drawings and paintings. Giacometti is the guy who made the big tall skinny guy sculptures. They look like this: For my post, I searched for Giacometti’s early works and found artworks from 1910. Alberto was born in 1901, so in 1910, he would have …
This article by Michael Agresta was published in the Texas Observer in 2016. The lynchings have brought it to us again. San Antonio painter Vincent Valdez unveils a monumental work on the persistence of white supremacy in America. A casual art viewer, wandering into the David Shelton Gallery in Houston from this month and encountering …
Welcome to day 4 of our 30 Day Creative Challenge! This is a composition day in our 30 Day Challenge. Here’s an exercise that improves your compositions, without you even thinking about composition. It worked for Diebenkorn! The primary challenge is to respond to the creative prompts in these posts, and see what happens. The …
This is day 5 of our 30 day creative challenge! To learn more about this 30SAL challenge, click here. Today’s challenge is to create something inspired by the word cacoethes. Media is artist’s choice. Can be pencil, digital collage, or assemblage live alligators. Cacoethes noun: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable. (kak-oh/uh-WEE-theez) Share your drawing …
What is Casein?
From Richeson: Casein (kay’seen) is a quick-drying, aqueous medium using a milk-based binding agent, and is one of the most durable mediums in history. Nine thousand year old casein cave paintings have been discovered in Asia, and later, the medium was used by Byzantine, Roman and Renaissance artists including the Old Masters.
Known for their versatility and array of capabilities, casein paints can be used to create a variety of effects from the rich opaques of oil to thin watercolor washes. Because casein has an exceptional integrity of color and always dries to a perfect matte finish, it is unexcelled for art reproduction. The velvety matte finish can also be buffed to a satin sheen or varnished to produce a resemblance to oils. Over time, casein pigments become resistant to moisture and as history has proven, the medium has a durability and permanence which has easily stood the test of time.
Casein differs from other media, yet it shares many of the same characteristics, which make it a very versatile medium that lends itself to many techniques. Casein has the wash capabilities of watercolor, the smooth opacity of tempera and gouache, and the richer textures of oils and acrylics. Brushes dipped in casein keep their finesse, producing clear, crisp lines. Unlike oils, casein is a clean, water-soluble medium requiring no strong solvents. And because it dries quickly, it’s possible to lay on a glaze and move onto the next stage within a few hours instead of waiting for days, or even months, for oil glazes over oil to dry. In comparison to watercolors, the main advantage of casein is that it’s easily correctable. It can be removed with a cloth, brush or eraser. Artists who paint with Casein:Patty Haller, Cennino Cennini, Matisse, Ramon Shiva, Michelle Muldrow, James Gurney, Thomas Hart Benton, Andrew Wyeth
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Alberto Giacometti’s drawings, age 9
I’m working on a new series of posts about Alberto Giacometti’s drawings and paintings. Giacometti is the guy who made the big tall skinny guy sculptures. They look like this: For my post, I searched for Giacometti’s early works and found artworks from 1910. Alberto was born in 1901, so in 1910, he would have …
The Big Picture
This article by Michael Agresta was published in the Texas Observer in 2016. The lynchings have brought it to us again. San Antonio painter Vincent Valdez unveils a monumental work on the persistence of white supremacy in America. A casual art viewer, wandering into the David Shelton Gallery in Houston from this month and encountering …
30SAL Challenge: Pathways
Welcome to day 4 of our 30 Day Creative Challenge! This is a composition day in our 30 Day Challenge. Here’s an exercise that improves your compositions, without you even thinking about composition. It worked for Diebenkorn! The primary challenge is to respond to the creative prompts in these posts, and see what happens. The …
Day 5: Cacoethes #30SAL
This is day 5 of our 30 day creative challenge! To learn more about this 30SAL challenge, click here. Today’s challenge is to create something inspired by the word cacoethes. Media is artist’s choice. Can be pencil, digital collage, or assemblage live alligators. Cacoethes noun: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable. (kak-oh/uh-WEE-theez) Share your drawing …