The New Studio for the Art of Painted Finishes, based in Manhattan, is a non-profit organization committed to preserving and adapting the “faux” painting techniques of previous centuries and to reproducing, in paint, the precious materials that were used in the past but are no longer available. The New Studio was founded by a group of artisan/teachers united by their love for the art of painted finishes and by their concern that many decorative painting techniques of the past would be lost to future generations. The aim of The New Studio is to train a new generation of artisans who will take this beautiful art form into the future.

An integral part of the studio’s work is adapting the old techniques to modern products and making the process more efficient without losing the quality of the work. Decorative “faux” finishes taught at The New Studio include gilding, marbles, stone such as Lapis Lazuli, country finishes, milk paint, pen work, tortoise shell, Asian finishes and many more. Each decorative finish that is taught is placed within the relevant historical context with an explanation of where and when it was used and what material was originally part of the process.

Bruce Waldman exhibits extensively in New York City and beyond. He has been teaching at the School of Visual Arts since 1978, is a board member of the Printmaking Workshop, and a Director of The New York Society of Etchers. His prints are in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Library of Congress, Smithsonion Institute, Washington DC, the Hackley Museum of Art in Michigan, the Housatonic Museum of Art in Connecticut, and the New York Transit Museum.

Mr Waldman illustrated the cover for the 1990 national best seller "Iron John", by Robert Bly, along with the cover monoprint for "Primate Behavior" the 1997 finalist for the National Book Award for Poetry by Sara Lindsey, and won the Silver Medal in the Book category for the 45th annual of The Society of Illustrators in 2004.

Examples of Bruce's Work: (click image for larger view)

 "Confrontation" - Monoprint

 "Old and Young" - Monoprint

 "Horse Race" - Monoprint

 " Parent Oval" - Etching

See more of Bruce's work on his website.

Tom was born in New York and raised primarily in California.  After attending the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, he returned to California to begin his formal art training at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco (now named the San Francisco Art Institute).  He completed his education at the University of Washington with a Master of Arts degree and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Fine Arts and Education. 

His first solo exhibition was held in 1956.  And over the last half century he has participated in numerous one man shows, group shows, and has been represented by galleries in the US and Mexico.  His works have been exhibited in over 25 cities.

In addition to his painting, this prolific artist has been commissioned to paint murals, illustrate children’s books, and worked in a variety of film and multi-medial formats.  Listed among his many awards and honors are a Ford Foundation Fellowship, an Award of Excellence from the American Graphics Society and the First Peace Prize in Brussels Belgium.  He has also found time to write articles for various professional publications. 

Hamil says about himself, “I am a man who paints.  Colors are the notes with which I play my music--honky-tonk, jazz, blues, salsa, classical--expressing the rituals, funerals, fiestas, carnivals, in this, the circus of my life.  I do not paint what I see, merely; I paint who I am.”

Currently, Hamil divides his time between his studios in Zirahuen, Michoacan, Mexico and Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

Examples of Tom's Work: (click image to see a larger view)

 "Fiesta Del Cristo Rey" - 2' x 3' Oil on Hardboard

 "Golden Dragon Dancing" - 2' x 2' Oil on Hardboard

 "Fiesta in Tzintzuntza" - 2' x 4' Oil on Hardboard

 "Golgotha IX" - 3' x 2' Oil on Hardboard

 "Red Light" 2' x 4' - Oil on Hardboard

Ideally, painting for me is a vehicle for exploring the subconscious mind, using objects and people symbolically and metaphorically as visual medium. Irony and humor are welcomed byproducts of this process. An artist's job is to interpret the world around himself. By focusing one's view on things of significance, though often unknown, interest or attraction the process becomes one of psychic exploration. I subscribe to the idea of using art to explore one's inner workings, yet as a realist I also believe that those emotions can be conveyed using recognizable form.

Embracing the forces of chance and free association drives a lot of what I do. So although a specific idea or event might trigger the motivation for a painting I often feel detached from the process of constructing its composition. I try to let my "gut" dictate the contents and placement of elements in a set up for a painting. I rarely alter the form that the assemblage takes because I like the idea of ceding control of things to fate. It is not until a set up for a painting changes itself (a piece of fruit ripens and falls, a model shifts, the light changes, etc.) that I am forced to make a conscious decision. This is useful as it serves as a check against what could otherwise become a blind meandering. My friend, the gifted painter John Morra, thinks that, like the Dadaists and Surrealists, I fear the realm of the obvious which has consequently forced me to divide into two personalities when working. First is the Zen artist who comes up with the ideas and second is the craftsman who paints them.

This can explain the apparent contradiction between the deliberateness of the appearance of my work and its subconscious construction. The truth is that my upbringing, schooling, art education and current home life have all been fairly traditional and have shaped my views about what I think my paintings should look like. Where things take a turn is that I try not to intellectualize what I am doing as I feel to do so inhibits the free flow of ideas, thus closing the doorway to the subconscious

By considering the painters I admire the apparent contradiction is further resolved. For me, painting achieved its apex as a craft through the hands of Rubens and Rembrandt. And while I find their subject matter a little boring I can stand in front of any painting they've done for hours. Content-wise, I feel a far greater kinship with the Freudian inspired artists that modernism has unleashed.

The only risk inherent in my process is that an idea I pursue may not work as a painting. The greatest potential benefit is that something interesting and evocative emerges from the canvas. And of course the ultimate personal goal is to have a record of my reaction to the people, things and events that form the world around me.

Examples of Mikel's Work: (click image for a larger view)

 "Lone Tree" c.1998 - 28" x 44"

 "Mixed Pears III" c.2002 - 8" x 10"

 "Abraham" c.1998 - 20" x 16"

See more of Mikel's work at his website: mikelglass.com

Simple Safety Measures - A helpful list of methods and best practices you should employ in your studio.

Here is a handy list of definitions of terms you will come across as you explore the world of fine art painting.  Print this out and keep it handy - it's a invaluable reference.

Archival: Suitable for use in creation or care of artifacts of potential or actual antique value; likely to resist natural deterioration when used according to sound practices

Binder: A substance that allows pigment to adhere to a surface

Fat over Lean: The principle in oil painting that suggests each layer of paint should contain more oil than the one beneath. Awareness of this concept helps ensure permanence.

Drier: Metallic salts which, when mixed with a drying oil speed oxidation and reduce drying time (Also called “siccatives”)

Drying Oil: An oil which solidifies through oxidation to produce a film

Emulsion: A mixture of fatty substances and water achieved through a third substance (an emulsifier) which attaches dissimilarly charged molecules that would normally not mix

Fresco: Painting in fresh plaster with pigments diluted with water; the curing plaster locks pigment permanently into surface

Glazing/Glazes: The application of a transparent, darker color over a lighter underpainting; adding color transparently

Ground/Painting Grounds: A properly prepared surface, ready to accept paint. Usually consists of sizing and priming, but can also include a tone.

Imprimatura: A thin veil of lean paint applied over a ground in the very earliest stages of painting

Megilp (Meguilp, Macgelp): An oil jelly medium popular in the 18th and 19th century; made by mixing “black oil” (linseed oil cooked with lead) and mastic varnish; considered by many modern technical experts to be risky and unsuitable for permanent painting. Gamblin manufactures a “Neo-megilp” unrelated to the original, but intended to approximate the working properties of the historic medium.

Medium: Category of material in which an artist works; can also refer to an additive mixture used to modify the properties of artists’ colors.

Permanent: Retaining the same color and physical properties many years into the future

Pigment/Pigments: a substance of specific color which, when processed by grinding into small particles can impart color to a mixture. Pigment particles should not chemically react with the medium into which they are mixed, nor should they dissolve into solution, instead remaining physically distinct from the vehicle, as bricks are distinct from mortar.

Priming: A preparation that allows good sticking power for paint, and a consistent surface free of irregularities

Scumbling: Applying lighter, semi-translucent color over a darker underpainting (related to glazing)

Sizing: A starch or glue that stiffens fibers and isolates them from direct contact with colors

Stabilizer: an additive that preserves good working properties and prevents undesirable changes in paint during storage

Stable: Remaining unchanged, in the finished state intended by the artist

Support/Supports: That which gives physical structure for artist’s colors- canvas, paper, panel

Thinner: A liquid for diluting colors that will evaporate completely, leaving no residue.

Varnish: A clear, glossy protective coating created by dissolving a resinous substance in a solvent

Vehicle: The component of paint that allows pigment to be applied to a surface; imparts workability and fluidity (the vehicle can also be the binder, though this is not necessarily so)

The decorative arts have always included techniques for giving interesting surfaces to common materials. Whether mimicking a precious substance, imitating the patina of great age or simply using paints to the best advantage, art materials can give glamour and richness to otherwise ordinary objects and surfaces.

Using acrylic paint for wall decoration.

Artists’ acrylics offer the broadest range of possibilities for creating interesting surfaces. Their rapid drying rate, longevity and good sticking power combined with an impressive assortment of colors and mediums available make acrylics the best choice for most decorative processes. Acrylic gesso can prepare walls, wood, cloth and bisque-fired ceramic to accept paint; really, any porous surface will take a gesso layer. While wet, inclusions can be pressed into gesso for texture or decorative effect- old postcards, leaves, scraps of cloth, for example. If bright white gesso is not appropriate for the project, acrylic matte medium is a clear coating that will work for the same purpose, and will seal inclusions for later overpainting.

Artists’ acrylics offer the broadest range of possibilities for creating interesting surfaces. Their rapid drying rate, longevity and good sticking power combined with an impressive assortment of colors and mediums available make acrylics the best choice for most decorative processes. Acrylic gesso can prepare walls, wood, cloth and bisque-fired ceramic to accept paint; really, any porous surface will take a gesso layer. While wet, inclusions can be pressed into gesso for texture or decorative effect- old postcards, leaves, scraps of cloth, for example. If bright white gesso is not appropriate for the project, acrylic matte medium is a clear coating that will work for the same purpose, and will seal inclusions for later overpainting.

Glazing techniques with acrylic paints work much faster than with oil-based compounds. Acrylic Matte and Gloss Mediums mixed with a tiny amount of color, modified with a small amount of retarder gel to slow drying, can be applied over a dry layer of color for an illusion of depth. Still-wet glazes can be manipulated by wiping with a rag or rubber graining comb for dramatic effects. Milky, slightly opaque glazes over darker hues create color effects impossible to achieve in single layers.

Textures created with Acrylic Modeling Paste and Pumice Medium can evoke the look of ancient fresco. These can be mixed with paint or gesso, or applied alone and painted over. Glazes applied over deep textures sink into crevices and highlight peaks. Try glazing over a pumice-gesso mixture, and wipe away the half-dry glaze with a damp sponge leaving only the color in the cracks and holes.

For successful decorative surface techniques, practice on a small test patch before committing to a large project- that way, your technique at the beginning of the project will already be somewhat rehearsed, and can look the same from start to finish. Generally, all these techniques work better if executed quickly and deliberately, rather than getting bogged down in small areas.

Decorating Frames and Furniture with Paint.

Plain wood frames and old furniture can be custom-finished with a number of processes.  Utrecht’s natural ash picture frames are unsealed, bare wood that is ready to accept paint. After removing glass and backing, lightly sand the wood frame. Previously-finished furniture should be sanded lightly to help paint stick. After sanding, the object can be finished according to the following techniques.