Formulas for Painters

Book excerpt: 200 formulas for making paints, glazes, mediums, varnishes, grounds, fixatives, sizes, and adhesives for tempera, oil, acrylic, gouache, pastel, encaustic, fresco, and other painting techniques. Here is a unique reference book which every serious painter will find indispensable.Formulas for Paintersgathers for the first time in a single volume over 200 recipes for making sizes, grounds, mediums, glazes, varnishes, fixatives, and adhesives. These recipes—some dating as far back as the Renaissance—have been tested by artists through the ages and retested by the author under controlled laboratory conditions. There are forty-two recipes for paints alone, ranging from ancient encaustic and tempera to modern acrylic and silica resins, dozens of mediums for every purpose, and a score of grounds for canvas, panels, and fresco. Each formula is presented in a uniform format which explains the purpose of the material being made, specifies precise ingredients, and gives clear directions for manufacture and use. For quick reference, all the formulas are numbered and frequently cross-referenced.Formulas for Paintersalso contains a section of notes on studio equipment; substitutes for hard-to-find materials; a fund of practical tips and miscellaneous information; and useful tables of drying times, solvents, melting points—making this comprehensive, compact handbook an invaluable source of reference for painters in all media.