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The Shamans of Prehistory: Trance and Magic in the Painted Caves

2/4/2025

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This post was scheduled for the first Monday of February…
However Monday, February 3, 2025 was:

A Day Without Latinos:
The Peoples Fight for Justice

https://brownrock.org/2025/02/02/brown-people-matter-the-peoples-fight-protest-for-justice-in-downtown-los-angeles/
(Thanx Elaine!)
I hope you missed me! -RQ
​

"Here's another one of my favorite
books from my library!"
​

“The Shamans of Prehistory”
Trance and Magic in the Painted Caves
by Jean Clottes & David Lewis-Williams

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• Harry N. Abrams, 1998

• ISBN 0810941821 (ISBN13: 9780810941823)
• Hardcover, 120 pages
From: 
https://www.bradshawfoundation.com/books/shamans_of_prehistory.php

This startling book reveals a new way of understanding the remarkable images painted or etched on rock walls by the people of prehistory.

Noting the similarity of prehistoric rock art with that created by some contemporary traditional societies, archaeologists Jean Clottes and David Lewis-Williams suggest that the ancient images were created by shamans, powerful individuals who were able to contact the spirit world through trance and ritual. In many societies throughout history, shamans have been consulted to try to change the weather, foretell the future, control the movements of animals, and converse with the dead.​

With an abundance of full-color illustrations, Clottes and Lewis-Williams draw on neuropsychology and ethnography to follow prehistoric shamans into their trance states. The authors shed light on what these artists were thinking and how they may have worked.

​On these pages, Paleolithic art and life are seen in a new and astonishing way.

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Since the first report of cave art (at Altamira in 1879), attempts have been made to explain the purpose of the mysterious drawings. Art for art's sake; totemism; hunting, destructive, or fertility magic; and modern structuralist theories have all been proposed. Clottes (The Cave Beneath the Sea: Paleolithic Images at Cosquer, LJ 4/1/96) and Lewis-Williams (cognitive archaeology, Univ. of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg) propose a new theory emphasizing the shamanic aspects of Paleolithic cave paintings.

After an unavoidably technical chapter providing the basics of shamanism, the authors examine Paleolithic paintings from across France and Spain, noting the use of animal figures, composite figures combining both human and animal characteristics, and geometric designs that are all common elements of shamanism.

The bulk of the book is both fascinating and thought-provoking, and while it is not likely to be the last word on the subject, it is an important contribution to the field. Recommended for academic and large public libraries.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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​​Theory of prehistoric shamanism

Some of Clottes's most publicized contributions to the study of prehistory have come not in the form of field research, but in his efforts to propose a plausible theory of the psychological and social context in which prehistoric cave art was created.[3][5] In 1994 he joined with South African anthropologist David Lewis-Williams to study prehistoric art in light of known neuropsychological phenomena associated with shamanic trances.[3][5][6] Together they concluded that there is a strong argument for believing that much of prehistoric art was in fact produced in the context of shamanic practices.
In 1996 they published their findings in the book Les Chamanes de la Préhistoire: Transe et Magie dans les Grottes Ornées (published in English in 1998 as 
The Shamans of Prehistory: Trance and Magic in the Painted Caves).[5]


The book received heavy criticism from some other researchers, with some objections stemming from a reluctance to use modern ethnographic or psychological observations as a basis for speculating on the meaning of prehistoric art, following clumsy early-20th-century attempts to do so.

Other experts found the ideas compelling, and suggested that academic infighting or jealousy may have played a role in the criticism.[3] 

In response to their critics, Clottes and Lewis-Williams published an expanded version of their book in 2001 (Les Chamanes de la Préhistoire: Texte Intégral, Polémique et Réponses).
David Lewis-Williams later went on to develop aspects of their thesis more fully in his own book The Mind in the Cave[6] and its sequel, Inside the Neolithic Mind (co-authored by David Pearce).[7]

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Jean Clottes is a prominent French prehistorian.
He was born in the French Pyrénées in 1933 and began to study archaeology in 1959, while teaching high school.
He initially focused on Neolithic dolmens, which were the topic of his 1975 Ph.D. thesis at the University of Toulouse.
After being appointed director of prehistoric antiquities for the Midi-Pyrénées in 1971, he began to study prehistoric cave art in order to fulfill the responsibilities of that position.
In the following years he led a series of excavations of prehistoric sites in the region.
In 1992, he was named General Inspector for Archaeology at the French Ministry of Culture;
in 1993 he was appointed Scientific Advisor for prehistoric rock art at the French Ministry of Culture.
He formally retired in 1999, but remains an active contributor to the field.
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James David Lewis-Williams is professor emeritus of cognitive archaeology at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
David Lewis-Williams, as he is known to his friends and colleagues, is regarded as an eminent specialist in the San or Bushmen culture, specifically their art and beliefs.
His book, The Mind in the Cave: Consciousness and the Origins of Art (Thames & Hudson) won the American Historical Association's 2003 James Henry Breasted Award.
His most recent books are:
Inside the Neolithic Mind: Consciousness, Cosmos, and the Realm of the Gods (Thames & Hudson) co-authored with David Pearce and published in 2005,

Conceiving God: The Cognitive Origin and Evolution of Religion, published in 2010, and

Deciphering Ancient Minds: The Mystery of San Bushman Rock Art, co-authored with Sam Challis and published in 2011.
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​Review from Booklist:
With an abundance of full-color illustrations, Clottes and Lewis-Williams draw on neuropsychology and ethnography to follow prehistoric shamans into their trance states. The authors shed light on what these rock artists were thinking and how they may have worked. On these pages, Paleolithic art and life are seen in a new and astonishing way.

“The most obvious question about cave art is why is it there, and Clottes, a prehistoric rock art expert associated with the French ministry of culture, and Lewis-Williams, a South African professor of cognitive archaeology, propose an elegant answer in this beautifully illustrated volume. 

They begin by documenting the universality of certain cave art images, then suggest that these paintings are shamanic in nature. 

They make their case in a fresh and lucid discussion of the methods shamans use to achieve altered states of consciousness in order to get in touch with the spiritual realm, then, shifting to a neuropsychological perspective, characterize the types of hallucinations experienced at the three main stages of trance: geometric shapes, objects of religious or emotional significance, and visions of animals, monsters, and people. 
​

The three sets of visions are depicted gracefully on cave walls deep beneath the surface of the earth, the perfect setting for a journey to another world. 
​

This is a handsome and quietly thrilling solution to an old and essential mystery.”  —Donna Seaman
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Reviewed by Barnaby Thieme, 8/22/2012:

​
The good folks at Erowid have posted my (Barnaby Thieme) review of The Shamans of Prehistory by Jean Clottes & David Lewis-Williams, two prominent authorities on paleolithic cave painting. 

I (Barnaby Thieme) am sympathetic to the book’s central argument that many painted caves served a ritual function related to archaic forms of shamanism, but I found their specific cognitive-archaeological model to be under-developed.

Clottes and Lewis-Williams ground their theoretical framework in an altered states model of shamanism and speculate that early shamans may have utilized visionary plants to induce trance states. The Erowid site which hosts a massive online archive of information relating to psychoactive plants and chemicals and their use.
​
You can read the full review here.

Beginning some 35,000 years ago, hundreds of cave sanctuaries throughout southern France and Spain were lavishly adorned with beautiful and evocative paintings and engravings. Prehistoric artists carried out their work with remarkable stylistic continuity for over 20,000 years. 

Since this world of buried art was rediscovered and explored in the last hundred years, these paintings have been admired for their rich, expressive depictions of animals and geometrical patterns.

But what do these paintings mean, and why were they created? How were these caves used?
 At various times, scholars have interpreted cave paintings as art for art’s sake, hunting instructions, sympathetic magic, totemistic representations of clan identities, or symbolic vocabularies with complex systems of meaning.

In The Shamans of Prehistory: Trance and Magic in the Painted Caves, two prominent researchers argue that many European caves are linked to shamanic ritual practice and initiation. Renowned expert Jean Clottes, who served as principal researcher of the magnificent Chauvet cave of southern France, co-authored this book with South African cognitive archaeologist David Lewis-Williams, a specialist on the San culture of the Kalahari, which practices rock painting to this day.
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At 120 pages, this book is essentially a long essay laying the basis for the authors’ shamanic hypothesis and attempting to ground it in biological terms.

While I (Barnaby Thieme) found their central thesis to be underdeveloped, the authors do an admirable job of surveying the available evidence, providing a valuable analysis of the known art.


The book is lavishly illustrated, though the pictures are rarely captioned with date information.

In the book’s introduction, the authors present a brief account of shamanism as a religious paradigm. They focus on the role of shamans as expert practitioners who carry out supernatural feats by entering trance states through various means, including the use of visionary plants, isolation, fasting, chanting, and dancing. In these altered states, they travel into the heavens above, or into a world beneath the earth, where they encounter spirits and animal powers who assist them in their work.

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The authors argue that the visionary states experienced by the shaman conform to a three-stage model that characterizes trance or altered consciousness, including those evoked by ritual practice and those caused by psychoactive substances such as LSD.

The authors interpret the generality of their three-stage model as evidence for a shared biological process at work, one that is triggered in different ways but produces a similar experience.
​

Stage one of their model consists of the appearance of vivid, luminous, geometric patterns.
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In stage two, the fuzzy and ambiguous geometric images begin to take on meaningful shapes and symbols, as the subject “recognizes” them as outlines of known shapes (e.g. horses, lions, etc.). The transition between stages two and three is often marked by an experience of passage, such as moving through a tunnel or flying. Stage three involves frank hallucinations of otherworldly symbols and beings.
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​This model is used throughout the book as a framework to explain the universality of characteristic shamanic visions, such as the magical flight, which may be interpreted as the transition between stages two and three. Many cave paintings can be interpreted as reflecting one or more of the stages. This may indicate the caves were ritual or initiatory centers that either depict or help elicit shamanic visions brought about through various means.
​
In my (Barnaby Thieme’s) opinion, the model is inadequate as an explanatory mechanism, and unable to do the heavy lifting Lewis-Williams and Clottes require of it. Its key terms are extremely vague—especially the central concept of “altered states”.

This term can refer to a vast array of states of awareness, including alertness, stupor, delirium, hallucination or bliss. Even if we restrict ourselves to visionary situations that involve both visual distortions and frank hallucinations, we still find a diverse set of experiences that is poorly characterized by this model.
​
​The authors suggest at several points that the fitness of their altered-states model to the evidence may indicate that hallucinogenic plants were ritually used. To evaluate that hypothesis, we need to examine which hallucinogens fit their three-stage model, and ask if they were available in Europe in prehistoric times.

I submit that the classical tryptamine and phenethylamine hallucinogens, such as psilocybin or DMT and mescaline, are the best fit for their altered-states model. 
Unfortunately, these are overwhelmingly found in the New World, and were probably unknown within Europe until sometime long after the caves had been painted.

​
What potentially hallucinogenic substances were most likely to be available in the late Stone Age in Europe?
​
I suggest the following candidates: carbon dioxide, cannabis, opium, Amanita muscaria, Syrian rue, and solenaceous plants, including datura and belladonna.


At the right dose levels, carbon dioxide intoxication does fit well with the three-stage theory, as we learn from the extensive research of Dr. Ladislas Meduna. The authors do not mention carbon dioxide intoxication in this book, but Clottes speaks of it in his Cave Art (Phaidon, 2010), where he speculates that some cave chapels may have caused carbon dioxide intoxication due to poor ventilation and this could have played a role in the paintings.

The problem with this theory is that high levels of carbon dioxide rapidly cause unconsciousness and death; indeed, the gas is frequently used to euthanize animals. Hallucinations generally occur at the threshold of unconsciousness, and it’s hard to imagine how any shaman could fall insensibly into a visionary stupor in the depths of a cavern thick with carbon dioxide, and then live to tell the tale.
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Psilocybin-containing mushrooms may have been known in Europe in prehistoric times, but the evidence for this is extremely tenuous. Surprisingly, the authors don’t consider the famous rock art bee-masked being that may be covered with mushrooms, found on the Tassili plateau of southern Algeria. But the link between that image and psychoactive mushrooms is speculative, and Algeria is a long way from Dordogne.

 Cave paintings usually depict easily recognizable animals in crisp, elegant outlines, either isolated or in small groups.
 Modern visionary art inspired by hallucinations, on the other hand, frequently emphasizes figure-ground ambiguity with crowded visual fields saturated with suggestive images.

It would also be remarkable to find a long-lived visionary bestiary so limited in its repertoire. We frequently find horses, aurochs, and mammoths, but almost never snakes, insects, or birds. What kind of visionary artist doesn’t paint snakes?

I don’t believe the theory works much better with endogenous altered states. Trance states evoked by meditation, chant, isolation, prayer, or dance are no less diverse than those evoked by psychoactive substances. I don’t see the three-stages model as a good description for my (Barnaby Thieme’s) experience of any of them.

It’s entirely possible, or even likely, that psychoactive plants were part of the spiritual tool kit for Homo sapiens in the Paleolithic, but I don’t see clear evidence linking them to cave art.
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I (Barnaby Thieme) am also a firm proponent of the shamanism model for understanding Paleolithic cave art, but on comparative grounds, such as those advanced by Mircea Eliade.

The structure of many cave sanctuaries strongly suggests an initiatory domain, easily recognizable from sacred spaces used by cultures today. The placement of key artwork in remote, difficult-to-access chambers implies a journey. The animal images are of an archaic character that fit extremely well with what we observe in contemporary shamanic cultures, such as among the Intuit, Tlingit, or Haida. And some of the composite “sorcerer” paintings are richly evocative of trance states or initiatory visions of a well-known type.
​

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​Purchase Book
The Bradshaw Foundation Book Review



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Maxfield Parrish’s ‘Old King Cole’ murals

12/2/2024

1 Comment

 
“Here are some fun murals
by one of my favorite artists and muralists,

Maxfield Parrish!
I have received so much joy from studying Parrish’s work,
and I have learned a great deal from his paintings and illustrations, and his compositions!
I especially enjoy his light-heartedness
​and the uplifting beauty of his color”
-RQ
from:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxfield_Parrish
Maxfield Parrish (July 25, 1870 – March 30, 1966)
​was an American painter and illustrator active in the first half of the 20th century. He is known for his distinctive saturated hues and idealized neo-classical imagery. His career spanned fifty years and was wildly successful: the National Museum of American Illustration deemed his painting Daybreak (1922) to be the most successful art print of the 20th century.[1]
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Maxfield Parrish was approached in 1906 by hotelier John Jacob Astor
(who was later struck down in the sinking of the Titanic) to create a mural to go above the bar at his hotel, The Knickerbocker, on 42nd Street. Though Parrish was a non-drinking Quaker. He relented when Astor offered him $5,000 (
the equivalent of $130,000 today) for the work, a small fortune at the time.
Parrish crafted a painting centered on the children’s rhyme about Old King Cole, with Astor painted atop the throne.
Legend has it that Parrish cheekily painted Astor’s King Cole while passing some royal gas, flanked by knowingly smirking attendants.
Though the mural’s time at The Knickerbocker was short lived, Parrish’s Old King Cole mural has been lovingly restored
and remains atop the bar at what is now New York City’s 
​St. Regis Hotel.

The text below is by
Norman Vanamee

from an article:
Walls of Fame.     

from the St. Regis Magazine..
ISSUE 3 – 2014
​

​New York’s murals, scattered in bars and restaurants, mansions and civic buildings, have become partof the city’s fabric. 
But Maxfield Parrish’s Old King Cole, which sits above the bar of The St. Regis New York, is one of its most beloved
and contains an extraordinary link to the man who commissioned it, John Jacob Astor IV.
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– The Back Story –
On a chilly November night last year (2013), about 120 people squeezed into the King Cole Bar and Salon at
The St. Regis New York.

The star of the night was a brilliantly-colored painting, just back from a $100,000 restoration and rehung in its place of honor above the bar where it has presided over similarly
​chic events for almost eight decades.
One hundred and ten years ago, John Jacob Astor IV asked a young artist named Maxfield Parrish if he would like to paint a mural to hang in the bar-room of The Knickerbocker Hotel, Astor’s glamorous new flagship on 42nd Street and Broadway in New York City. The fee was $5,000, extremely generous for the time, but it came with caveats.
 
First, the subject of the painting had to be Old King Cole, and second, while Parrish would have complete artistic freedom in how he depicted the nursery-rhyme character, he had to use Astor as the model for King Cole’s face.
 
“At first, Parrish wasn’t sure he wanted the job,” explains Laurence Cutler, chairman of the National Museum of American Illustration and an expert on the artist.
“He didn’t like being told he had to do anything.”
Parrish had other concerns as well:
he came from a conservative Quaker family that frowned on alcohol and wasn’t thrilled that his work would hang in a bar. Plus, he had already painted a version of King Cole for the ​Mask and Wig Club, a private theater club in Philadelphia. 
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King Cole mural for the ​Mask and Wig Club by Maxfield Parrish
But Parrish’s father, Stephen Parrish 
​(1846 – 1938)  

an established artist with connections in Philadelphia and
New York society, encouraged him to reconsider.
“Basically, he explained how unadvisable it would be for somebody just starting their career to say no
​to somebody like Astor.”
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Parrish had recently moved from Philadelphia to Plainfield, New Hampshire, where he and his wife, Lydia, were expanding a small estate they had built
called The Oaks, 
which they would live in for the rest of their lives. He realized that the fee, the equivalent of $130,000 today, would set them up well and accepted the commission. He began work on Old King Cole in a studio that was
too small to hold the whole mural, so he painted
the three 8 feet x 10 feet panels one at a time.
He placed the king in the center,
​flanked by jesters and guards.
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It was a more dramatic, less cartoon-like depiction than his first version of Cole for the Mask and Wig Club and,
when it was installed at the hotel in 1906,
it instantly became part of the fabric of a city
and a culture hurtling toward the excitement
and excesses of the Roaring Twenties.

“The Knickerbocker Bar, beamed upon by Maxfield Parrish’s jovial, colorful Old King Cole was well crowded”
wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald in This Side of Paradise.
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Parrish picked a good time to accept a mural commission.
At the turn of the century, wealthy industrialists like Astor
were building mansions as quickly as they could
and hiring artists to adorn the walls.
“It was the golden age of American mural painting,” says Glenn Palmer-Smith, a painter
and author of Murals of New York City.
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Established artists were able to command huge fees,
but the appeal was more than just financial.
The country had recently glimpsed the nuance and complexity of mural painting at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago,
which featured frescos and murals by some of the US and Europe’s most prominent painters.
​American architects and artists were eager to embrace the medium.
 
Not long after the fair,
ten of the country’s best-known illustrators and painters, including Henry Siddons Mowbray and Robert Lewis Reid, collaborated on a mural depicting the history of law for the lobby of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division building on Madison Avenue, which opened in 1900. “Can you imagine ten top artists collaborating on anything today?” says Palmer-Smith.   
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Parrish went on to paint eight additional murals over the course of his long and influential career,
including The Pied Piper in 1909 for the bar at
​ the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.
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But Old King Cole is arguably his most famous. It has all the hallmarks of his later illustrations and prints, including bold, luminous colors, classical architectural forms,
and an impish sense of humor.

“It launched his career,” says Laurence Cutler. “Immediately afterwards he received a commission to illustrate a cover for Harper’s Magazine, and from then on he worked non-stop for the next 40 years.”
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When the Knickerbocker closed in 1920, Old King Cole went into storage, then briefly hung in a museum in Chicago,
and was finally installed at The St. Regis, an Astor-owned hotel, in 1932. There, at the heart of Millionaires’ Alley,
as 55th Street was called at the time,
it made the transition from artwork to icon.
 
Longevity alone might explain the King Cole Bar’s popularity – New York City has been torn down and rebuilt so many times that its residents develop emotional attachments to places and things that survive the constant reinvention. But it is Parrish’s painting that patrons love and return to see over and over again.
​

 “Parrish had a bet with his friends that he could paint absolutely anything,” said Palmer-Smith. “Old King Cole proved it.”
​

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“Here’s another one of my favorite books from my library!” -RQ
(This is my second version. The first one fell apart and got paint all over it!)
Maxfield Parrish 
Hardcover – Illustrated,
January 6, 1997

by Coy Ludwig

 A compendium of the life and work of Maxfield Parrish,
it is an essential part of a Parrish library. For the collector,
​the publisher has included a value guide to some of the products that bear Parrish images.
Examples of Parrish's most famous book illustrations are shown, including selections from Mother Goose in Prose and the Arabian Nights. Also included are his famous magazine covers-from Life, Collier's, Harper's Weekly, etc., as well as all the landscapes that he painted for Brown and Bigelow, who reproduced them as calendars every year from 1936 to 1963.
One of the highlights of the book is the chapter on Parrish's technique, examining in depth his materials, favorite methods, and unique way of painting. In addition, there is a lengthy excerpt from an unpublished manuscript
by Maxfield Parrish, Jr., explaining step-by-step his father's glazing technique and use of photography in his work.
This definitive study also contains numerous revealing excerpts from Parrish's unpublished correspondence with family, friends, and clients.
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Faux Finishes, Part 4c: Natural Surfaces

12/11/2023

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Here's another great book from the 'Surfaces' series...
Natural Surfaces
 Visual Research for Artists,
Architects, and Designers

by Judy A. Juracek

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     The photographs catalog images of nature used in art and design, with detailed views of natural elements, plant portraits, and pictures of landscape installations, gardens, and scenic vistas.
     Horticultural pictures are captioned as to botanical and common names. Images are coded and cross-referenced in the index and on the CD-ROM, making the book a compact picture file for illustrators, landscape architects, designers, and graphic artists.
     With an illustrated glossary, resource sections, and interviews with professionals in landscape design and botanical illustration, this is a great book for students. 


Over 1,200 high-quality color photos of the natural world,
​in print and on CD-ROM with printable TIFF files.
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"Sign Painters" by Faythe Levine and Sam Macon

10/2/2023

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“Here’s another one of my favorite books from my Library... ”

"Sign Painters"
by
Faythe Levine and Sam Macon
​

At a time when most American cityscapes are dominated by computer created mass-produced signage,”Sign Painters” takes a close look at the past, present, and hopeful future of the hand painted sign industry in the USA.​
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There was a time - as recently as the 1980s ( “When I began painting... ” -RQ ) when storefronts, murals, banners, barn signs, billboards, and even street signs were all hand-lettered with brush and paint.

But, like many skilled trades, the sign industry has been overrun by the techno-fueled promise of quicker and cheaper.
The resulting proliferation of computer-designed, die-cut vinyl lettering and inkjet printers has ushered a creeping sameness into our visual landscape.

Fortunately, there is a growing trend to seek out traditional sign painters and a renaissance in the trade.

In 2010 filmmakers Faythe Levine, co-author of Handmade Nation, and Sam Macon began documenting these dedicated practitioners, their time-honored methods, and their appreciation for quality and craftsmanship. 
​

‘Sign Painters’, the first anecdotal history of the craft, features stories and photographs of more than two dozen sign painters working in cities throughout the United States.
​

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Reviews:
"Every now and again, a book comes my way on a topic that is utterly and completely unexpected. Faythe Levine and Sam Macon's Sign Painters is the sort of artistic celebration that should be commonplace on the shelves.this is graphic design at its best; these signs command attention, enliven the landscape, and bring customers in... good stuff, and damned inspiring." -- Bookslut

"This is not only a wonderful book, a delight to take in, rich and telling in its details and a visual pleasure with its gorgeous photography. It's an important book that captures a largely untold story." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Full of stunning full-color shots of finished signs and works-in-progress of folks from San Francisco and Iowa City to Mazeppa and Boston. Even artist Ed Ruscha gets in on the action." -- Fast Company

"With hand-painted signs rapidly going the way of the film camera, documentarians Levine and Macon offer a welcome look at some of the remaining artists and their work, which adorns storefronts, walls and billboards. New Yorker Stephen Powers began as a graffiti artist; Las Vegas painters Mark and Rosie Oatis met in sign school; Ernie Gosnell, in Seattle, learned the trade as a teen from a sign-painting lady wrestler who "tattooed a little bit on the side." It's a toss-up as to what's better - these characters or their art." -- New York Post

"Artist Clark Byers may not be a household name, but if you've lived or traveled in the southeast U.S., you're probably familiar with his work. Byers, whose death in 2004 was commemorated with an obituary in the New York Times, painted the advertising slogan, "See Rock City," on the roofs of more than 900 barns from the late 1930s until the 1960s. Byers' and other artists' signs inspired filmmakers Sam Macon and Faythe Levine's great new book, Sign Painters, an homage to the craft and its craftsmen (and a great gift for the Americana-lover on your holiday shopping list)." -- Reader's Digest

"As lovingly hand made as the signs it celebrates... What comes across clearly is the respect for good work, letter by letter, that helps their clients' businesses succeed. This book captures the renaissance of the sign painter." --- Juxtapoz

"Sign Painters is a great source of inspiration about this often-overlooked industry, and a good reminder to pay a little extra attention while out in the city, on the highway, or wherever. Beautiful hand-painted signs are everywhere." -- Smithsonian.com

"A lovely paean to a vanishing art... Ms. Levine and Mr. Macon have hopscotched the country, interviewing many of the best remaining old-school sign painters and printing their best work... This book, with an introduction by the artist Ed Ruscha, is a funky and necessary work of preservation." -- New York Times


Other Links:

Faythe Levine
My creative practice is not tied down to one medium; it is based on whatever I am passionate about. Over time this has allowed me to accumulate a large, diverse portfolio of work centered on themes of community, DIY, creativity, awareness, process, empowerment and documentation. I aspire to communicate honesty, authenticity and the quality of life through my work. My books and projects aim to be approachable and accessible and my work is exhibited and published in both formal and renegade outlets internationally.

​Sam Macon
Sam Macon is a Milwaukee-born, Chicago-based filmmaker, photographer, and writer. He received his BFA in film from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and directs music videos, commercials, short films, and documentaries.
http://sam-macon.squarespace.com/

[email protected]
http://sam-macon.squarespace.com/



​"Here is where I first heard of the book and documentary...
James Gurney's FANTASTIC art blog!"
-RQ

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SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2013 
​
Documentary on sign painters​
Roberto said... Thanks for posting this James!
I didn’t start painting seriously until 1980. I tried drafting and calligraphy, but my poor eye-site and large-temperament made it difficult to work on such a small scale. Once I discovered outdoor signs, billboards, and wall-murals I was hooked. It’s a thrill and a challenge to work on a really large scale project, hanging on a tall wall, high above the world, slingin’ paint around with big brushes and painting with your whole body involved.
Early on I hooked up with a Pub-and-Bar developer, traveling around the Western States doing artwork, signs, menus, and carnival/circus style painting with a troop of local artists and sign-painters. What a great way to learn a craft! Collaborating and learning from a wide range of talented artisans.

Being able to knock-out a sign project has also really helped during the lean times of ‘Art’ making.
Your post on Monday, March 4, 2013: 
Documentary about Ornamental Glass Art was likewise inspirational. This is a great example of how a ‘decorative craft’ can be elevated to the level of ‘Fine-Art’.
Thanx for the trip down memory lane.
Keep up the good work. -RQ

March 10, 2013 at 3:56 PM



​
​
Since you have made it this far, you might as well check out sme of the signs I have up on my web site:
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"Computers and vinyl technologies have completely transformed the sign painting industry.
I have always specialized in custom, hand-painted,
one-of-a-kind projects, so advanced technologies 
are not a threat, but rather an opportunity
to apply my craft
in new and exciting ways –
and in doing so 
to better meet my clients' needs." 
​
-Roberto Quintana
0 Comments

Faux Finishes, Part 4b: Soft Surfaces

7/3/2023

0 Comments

 
"I'm back from my trip to Baltimore, and it looks like I got out of Dodge just in time! It's a beautiful city with lots of great murals and art museums and historical architecture. Stay positive, curb your guns and be kind to others.
Here is part 4b of my Faux Finishes Blog posts. scroll back through the blog for earlier posts on Faux Finishes (and much more) or search the Blog by category" -RQ


Here is another one of my favorite books from my library...
Soft Surfaces
Visual Research for Artists,
Architects, and Designers

by Judy A. Juracek

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     Modeled on the successful Surfaces (1996) book, this stunning collection of photographs catalogs how hundreds of varieties of textiles, grouped by structure and surface treatment, look up close and in interior and exterior applications such as window treatments, upholstery, awnings, tents, and floor coverings.
     The book is tailored to research needs in scope and focus, offering examples for architects, interior designers, textile professionals, theatrical and film designers, illustrators, and graphic designers. 
     Interviews with professionals describe how they use visual research in their work.
1,200 high-quality color images
of traditional and innovative textiles,

​ in print and on CD-ROM
0 Comments

"Mastering Layout: on the art of eye appeal" by Mike Stevens.

5/1/2023

0 Comments

 
Here’s another one of my favorite books from my library…
​

"Computers and vinyl technologies have completely transformed the sign painting industry and as a consequence hand lettering and sign painting has become a lost art.
Early in my career I found it very useful to be as versatile as possible and to learn as many painting techniques as I could, to help get me through the lean-times. These skills have come in quite handy in many of my commercial and fine-art projects from billboards, signs and menu-boards to set-painting, super-graphics, logos and mascots.
I have always specialized in custom, hand-painted one-of-a-kind projects, so advanced printing and computerized technologies are not a threat… but rather an opportunity to apply my craft in new and exciting ways – and in doing so
to better serve a diverse clientele.
​
Mike Stevens’ ‘
Mastering Layout' was a vital resource in building my skills with a brush and improving my layouts and designs."  -Roberto Quintana
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Mastering Layout
On the Art of Eye Appeal

by Mike Stevens 
This best-selling book by sign industry legend, Mike Stevens, covers the fundamental principles of layout for signs. It teaches how to see, organize and manipulate graphic elements for unified, legible and visually appealing results. More than 80 illustrations demonstrate before-and-after results of applying the principles. Includes a troubleshooting checklist for isolating, analyzing and correcting layout weaknesses in your own designs.
Long established as a must-have for all sign writers,
this best-selling book covers the fundamental
principles of layout for signs.
Includes 13
 handwritten alphabets for reference

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and 80+ illustrations with before and after results,
and ​all the universal rules in font layout. 
​This technical book is just as appreciated by old hands
in lettering as it is by newcomers. 
A real classic.


Mike Stevens provides a detailed, comprehensive
and relatively easy-to-understand overview of
the analytical skills that can be applied to a
Sign Painting or Writer's job. 
The fundamental principles in the layout of fonts and characters are conveyed in detail and how several graphic elements are organized into a perfect overall picture. 
invaluable sign painting knowledge on 127 pages. 
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Contents

1) Natural Layout
2) Format: A Design Element
3) Copy Interpretation & appropriate Images
4) Negative Space
5) Line Value
6) Rhythm
7) Selecting Alphabets
8) Color
9) Super Graphics
10) Informal Layout
11) Troubleshooting Your Layout
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Michael R. Stevens
Died: April 20, 1989


From Signcraft magazine.
July/August 1989


Few sign artists in recent times have had as much influence on sign layout as sign artist/author Mike Stevens.
Mike Stevens died suddenly on April 20, 1989.
Mike was the author of
Mastering Layout: The Art of Eye Appeal
and
Ninety-Nine Showcards: A Photo Album,
and produced two audiotapes and a video tape.
He recently contributed a series of articles on layout to SignCraft.
Since his death, SignCraft has heard from scores of sign artists — some long-time friends and others
who knew Mike only through his books, tapes and articles.
All mentioned his impact on their work, their business,
and in many cases, their lives.


Related:


Signs, Totems & Super-Graphics
http://www.artandsoulproductions.com/signs-totems--super-graphics.html



​
SignCraft
http://web.archive.org/web/20230323231908/https://www.signcraft.com/


About Us
In 1980, we published the first issue of SignCraft Magazine from our commercial sign shop, laying out the pages on the same drawing table we used for sign sketches and proposals. Our plan was to create a way to share ideas and information that would make signmaking easier, more creative and more profitable. Computers were not yet involved in sign making, so the focus was on hand painted, sandblasted, carved and cutout signs and lettering.
In the years that followed computers changed the sign industry (along with the rest of the world!) Our coverage gradually expanded to include cut vinyl, digital prints and CNC routed signage.
Nonetheless, SignCraft’s intention has remained the same: To give those who make signs the information, ideas and inspiration that helps make their signs more effective, their work easier and their business more profitable.
The November/December 2020 issue marked the final print edition of SignCraft Magazine after 235 consecutive issues—more than 5000 articles and over 20,000 idea-packed photos. Our articles are now delivered online to our members.
Join today:
You’ll get ideas and information you can’t find anywhere else. Over the past year, SignCraft readers received over 100 articles, over 150 time-saving tips and shortcuts and nearly 1000 inspiring photos.
You’ll be in touch with shop owners who understand the work you do. You’ll visit their shops and watch videos of techniques and time-saving shortcuts.
You’ll can use the online Sign Pricing Guide pricing calculator–where you can price everyday sign work in just three clicks, with pricing based on the overhead level that fits your shop.
You’ll have full access to SignQuote Pro app, a web app that lets you price even more types of signs with even more flexibility of substrates and shop rates
Join today and find out why thousands of sign professionals around the world depend on SignCraft to make their signs and their businesses more successful!
Call:         800-204-0204 | 239-939-4644 | Fax: 239-939-0607
E-mail:     [email protected]
US Mail:  SignCraft, PO Box 60031, Fort Myers, FL 33906.

http://web.archive.org/web/20220120180400/https://www.signcraft.com/about-us/



0 Comments

The Science of Vision / Neuro-Scientifically Challenged

4/3/2023

0 Comments

 
One of my favorite topics,
besides Painting, Color, and Light,
is “Perception”.

Not only because I am a visual artist,
but also because I am a visual artist with a very special advantage when it comes to creating a 3D illusion
on a 2D surface, since I only ’see’ out of one (myopic) eye,
I am already half-way there!
(or maybe 1/3 way there, depending on how one
measures these things.)


This post will be the first of many on The Science of Vision
​and Visual Perception, including illusions, optical effects, atmospheric effects, anatomy and much more.

I always think it best to start with the basics. So here are two excellent Podcast-Video-Blog-Things to start with:
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The Science of Vision,
Eye Health & Seeing Better

Huberman Lab Podcast #24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObtW353d5i0
AND
​

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KNOW YOUR BRAIN:
PRIMARY VISUAL CORTEX

https://neuroscientificallychallenged.com/posts/know-your-brain-primary-visual-cortex
​
Related:

For a really deep-dive into ‘Visual Perception’ check out this guy’s Blog!
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"Mr. Gurney has an AMAZING! daily Art Blog that I encourage all-ya-all to visit daily. He’s been doing it for years and his archive is deep and educational and FUN!
My ‘Research and Development Department’ here at Art & Soul Productions are throwing a fit right now because I’m sharing this with you (They’re all so competitive and secretive about their sources!)...  and ‘Legal’ insists that I not use the terms ‘borrowed’ or ‘lifted’ or ’steal’ when referring to all the great stuff I have gotten from his blog, but they say ‘Influenced by’ is a much safer term (if less accurate).
More on the ‘Gurney Journey’ later."
-RQ
0 Comments

Faux Finishes, Part 4: Surfaces!

3/20/2023

0 Comments

 
Here is another one of my favorite books in my library...
SURFACES
Visual Research for Artists,
Architects, and Designers

​by Judy A. Juracek
​

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Looking for images of architectural materials?
     'Surfaces​' offers over 1,200 outstanding and vibrantly colorful visual images of surface textures--wood, stone, marble, brick, plaster, stucco, aggregates, metal, tile, and glass--ready to be used in your designs, presentations, or comps, as backgrounds or for general visual information.

( ...but not to just flat-out copy, without permission or credit, for your Multi-Million-Dollar Video-Game backgrounds!)


     Photographed by a designer for designers, the pictures show specific materials and how they change with time, weather, wear, and different lighting. Each section offers general views of the material, a gallery of commonly used or manufactured samples, and hundreds of specimens showing types and finishes in architectural settings. Captions provide information about the physical properties, dimensions, construction techniques, specific varieties of the material, and types and styles of treatments.

     Interviews with eight design professionals provide practical advice on how they approach visual research, and a comprehensive glossary of visual and technical terms offers a vocabulary for professional communication. An index of subject matter and materials makes it easy to find just the image you need.

1000 color illustrations

PLUS: this book comes with a great CD-ROM
of screen resolution TIFF files
of every image in the book!
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Picture
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 ...And here's a Free PDF!     


Related:
​

Capcom accused of infringing artist's copyright in Resident Evil games.  June 2021


Capcom “resolves” lawsuit surrounding allegedly stolen ‘Resident Evil 4’ images
​
By Andy Brown     February 2022

​
0 Comments

Faux Finishes, Part III: Paint Finishes

2/20/2023

1 Comment

 
“Here is another one of my favorite books from my library!... 
This book is kind of inconspicuous in that each chapter is rather short and he doesn’t go into great detail, but he covers a lot of ground with good demonstration photos.
The chapter titles are rather terse (but I have added the subcategories to show what is covered).
​Once you have some of the basics down in terms of materials and tools, many of the techniques are pretty straight forward. It’s all in the ‘Doing’. Practice, practice, practice!
” -RQ
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Paint Finishes 
by Charles Hemming 
A concise 'How to Guide' to faux-finish painting techniques including: Dragging, Combing, Rag-Roll, Sponge, Marble, 
Stipple, 
Wood-Graining, Fantasy finishes, and Trompe l’Oeil.

Step-by-step projects for decorative finishes on walls, along with technical information and methods, make this a complete guide for exploring the many possibilities of paint.

144 pages, Hardcover
Over 250 Illustrations, more than 200 in full color.
Demonstrations by Peter Farlow
​

​Chapters

1. Choosing a Color Scheme
(Color Theory, Use of Color, Off-Hues, Discordant Colors, Color effects with Glazes)


2. Tools & Materials / Trouble Shooting Guide
(Paint Types, Tinting, Equipment, General Painting Sequence)


3. Preparing the Surface
(Old Paint, New Plaster, New or Newly Stripped Wood, Varnished and Waxed Wood, Paper, Fabric, Metal, Tiles)


4. Broken Color
( Color Washing, Shading, Sponging, Stippling, Dragging and Combing, Ragging and Rag-Rolling, Spattering, Antiquing)


5. Fantasy Decoration
(Marbling: Cissing, White Sicilian, Rose, Black Serpentine, Red, Terra Verde, Blue, Floors, Tortoiseshell: Golden,, Auburn, Amber; Porphyry, Wood Graining, Glaze Graining, Bamboo)


6. Finishing Touches
(Lining, Trompe L’Oeil, Picking Out/Accenting, Stenciling, Glass Painting)





​Also by Charles Hemming:


“British Painters of the Coast and Sea”
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​Charles Hemming
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001KE24E0/about
     Charles Hemming's enthusiasm for writing and painting began in childhood. On leaving art school he worked as a free-lance writer and artist, exhibiting pictures in London galleries in Mayfair and the South Bank, illustrating books, painting murals and working in other decorative arts in Britain, France and Spain.
     He has exhibited pictures with the Royal Society of Marine Artists and is a member of the Guild of Aviation Artists.
     He is the author of the award-winning history books British Painters of the Coast and Sea, British Landscape Painters, The Folding Screen, technique books Paint Finishes, the Complete Paint Book, and is a one-time author of the Bluffers' Guides.



1 Comment

Faux Finishes, Part 1

1/9/2023

0 Comments

 
Here is another one of my favorite books from my library...
“The Art of the Painted Finish
for Furniture and Decoration”
Antiquing, Lacquering, Gilding & The Great Impersonators
By Isabel O’Neil
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'The Art of Painted Finish for Furniture & Decoration: Antiquing, Lacquering, Gilding & the Great Impersonators' comes with 38 color plates, including 80 life-style samples,
and 100 how-to drawings.
Painted finishes can be applied almost everywhere -- on furniture, decorative objects, even the walls of rooms.
This book rescues and re-creates this nearly lost art
and does so with the realistic and practical use
of modern tools and materials.
Generously illustrated, this is a reference book,
studio manual, and art book all in one.
It is indispensable to professionals -- architects, interior designers and decorators, artists, art teachers and students, and furniture designers -- and to all those interested in arts, crafts and antiques. 
Table of Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgements
List of Color Plates
How to use this Book
Historical Background
___
Part I) Painting, Antiquing & Distressing: Mediums and Methods
Color
Preparation of Surface:
Basic Tools & Methods
Paint
Antiquing
Varnishes
Distressing

___
Part II) Glazes, Lacquer & Casein:
Old Techniques Updated
Glazes
History of Lacquer
 Lacquer Techniques
Casein

___
Part III) Leafing, Gilding and Burnishing: Traditional Techniques
Introduction
Mat Gilding
Antique Patina for Leaf
Burnishing

___
Part IV)    The Great Impersonators:
Faux Finishes
Introduction
Bamboo
Porphyry
Faux Marbre
Faux Tortoise Shell
Lapis Lazuli
Faux Bois
Malachite
Six Fantasies

___
Subject Outline
Craftsmen and Students workin the Color  Plates
Suggested Reading
About the Author

​     "Decorative painting is any painting that serves to adorn or embellish a surface with design motifs, decorative accents, trompe l’Oeil and/or painted faux finishes. The techniques of decorative painting are complex and require years of study and practice to master. 
     This book is based on the course of study devised through years of detailed instruction, research and experimentation at Isabel O’Neil’s Studio/Workshop. This well written book can take an absolute novice through the many levels of skill required for the creation of breathtakingly beautiful finishes.”
     -Roberto Quintana



​ISABEL O’NEIL
Isabel O’Neil (1908-1981) was an acclaimed authority in the field of decorative arts. A New York-based conservator, teacher, and inventor of painted finishes, she was often called upon to restore painted finishes on antique furnishings. She found great inspiration in the techniques and materials used by European craftsmen. 
 
The publication of her 1971 book, The Art of the Painted Finish for Furniture & Decoration, gave her further acclaim as an authority in painted finishes. Featuring more than one hundred and fifty finishes, it remains the standard for the most comprehensively-written reference and instructional guide on the subject.

 
0 Comments

Health Hazards Manual for Artists

12/26/2022

0 Comments

 
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​'Health Hazards Manual for Artists 
​
Paperback - Illustrated'

by Michael McCann Ph.D. (Author), 
​Angela Babin (Author)

​This is the trusted resource for working artists and art students written by the leading authority on these health hazards. Whether you work in painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, woodworking, textiles, computer, or children's art, this is the only reference book that covers all the dangers associated with metals, minerals, and chemicals.

​ With illustrations throughout, this first aid book shows how to treat injuries and work with proper caution while still being creative. Updates include new ventilation, photo processing, and computer systems. Whether you are a beginner or professional, this is a must for every school, art studio, and home.

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About the Author
MICHAEL MCCANN, Ph.D., C.I.H. is one of the world's leading authorities on health hazards in the arts . He was the founder and President of the Center for Safety in the Arts until it closed due to loss of funding in1995, and is author of the distinguished ARTIST BEWARE, the most exhaustive reference book on the subject of health hazards for artists.
​
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Remember!
Always read the Label.
When in doubt, wear gloves.
If you're outside, wear sunblock and cover up.
When you're prepping, wear a good mask and gloves.
If you're spraying, wear a respirator!
If your slinging paint, wear goggles!
The top step is NOT a step! REALLY!
If your dangling on the face of a building or wall, you should                probably have a harness of some type on, (or at 
least               handy... for when the 'clip-boards' show up.)
Don't do stupid stuff.

Keep a first aid kit in the truck, and water, and a fan. and salt              tablets.
Don't wear sandals or open-toed-foot-things on ladders and                scaffolding or planks!
Don't leave your tools lying around (or on ladders, bone-head!)

Don't let other people around you do stupid stuff.
Never say "Hey Guys, watch this!"

Don't smoke (anything!) around volatiles. 
Don't pick at anything with your gloves on. (you can usually                 rub an itch, but be careful!)
Don't text and paint!
          (Especially if you should be wearing a harness!)
When you drop your phone, just let it go!
          (Don't reach for it, especially at height or balancing.)

Be nice to the crew setting up the rig.
Always check the work of the crew setting up the rig.

Always check a plank and ladder-jack before you climb on it.
When you'r driving your lift around the mural sight, watch out               for 'Old-Guys' sitting on buckets! 

Don't bleed on the art-work!

Any other suggestions?
0 Comments

“The Mural Artist’s Handbook” by Morgan Bricca

11/7/2022

0 Comments

 
Here is another one of my favorite books from my library:

“The Mural Artist’s Handbook”
by Morgan Bricca
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Are you ready to try your hand at painting a mural?
Have you wondered how to find clients who will pay you to paint?
In Morgan's handbook you will learn how to b
uild an art business
that is sustainable and fun!  


• Find clients
• Develop a site-specific design
• Select the right materials
• Block in a mural


"Morgan has done a great job of showing how she has created
a thriving business from her passion for painting murals!

 She gives excellent advise on the ins and outs of working by commission and maintaining your own creative vision at the same time." -Roberto
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I particularly like her
“Nature is Home”
Native Bird Murals
series

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Morgan has painted fifteen flower and bird murals
throughout Ilha das Flores in the Azores, Portugal
in the summer of 2017.

These murals were mainly hand painted on public buildings and ruins, most near the main town of Santa Cruz,
a town of about 900 residents.

(Read about her adventures with this project HERE !)
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​In addition to sharing her mural painting expertise
and talent through her “Handbook”
Morgan has an excellent
​ BLOG
on her website

https://muralartistshandbook.com/blog/


...and a fantastic PODCAST!
“If These Walls Could Talk”
  promoting the art of mural making and exploring
best practices for creating successful mural projects!
-Great Job Morgan-
(Check it Out!)

https://muralartistshandbook.com/podcast/

Also

Sign up for her monthly
Newsletter
and receive her latest news and updates
delivered directly to your inbox.

"I really enjoy following this generous and talented Muralista as she shares her creativity and vision for a better world
through mural painting!" -Roberto
​
0 Comments

Ian Roberts and the Search for Beauty

10/31/2022

0 Comments

 
Are you into landscape painting?
I know I am!

So here’s a link to some of my landscape paintings
​and drawings.
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’Stunt Road Up Two Miles’ Roberto Quintana, Acrylics on Canvas


​Ian Roberts
is into landscape painting too!

Sign up for his Weekly newsletter
and FANTASTIC Video tutorials.


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Ian Roberts has been painting for over 40 years.
He attended the New School of Art and
​the Ontario College of Art in Toronto.

He also studied figure painting in Florence, Italy.
He now teaches plein air painting in the U.S. through his school 'Atelier Saint-Luc',
named after the patron saint of painters,
​in Los Angeles, California.
​

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​Each week Ian shares a 5-7 minutes video on some aspect
of composition and how it plays a foundational role
in our painting.
"This Guy really knows his stuff!
(and He shares all the Tricks of the Trade.)
I’ve been following Ian for many years now and I always learn something new from him!" -RQ

​
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​He also has an excellent Video series:
“The Search for Beauty”
One artist’s journey to understand beauty

https://thesearchforbeauty.com/videos/


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Plus…
He has written TWO of my favorite books in my library!!




“Mastering Composition”
Techniques and principles
to dramatically improve
​your painting
​

by Ian Roberts
​

(40 minute video included)

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AND…


“Creative Authenticity”
16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen Your Artistic Vision
​
by Ian Roberts






​If all that's not enough!
​​He has also produced several other videos:
​

Mastering Composition from Photos:
​Light & Shadow
,

Mastering Composition from Photos: Landscape Painting
​

 Mastering Composition,

 Plein Air Painting, 

Design,

Color, 




0 Comments

Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles

10/10/2022

2 Comments

 
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​

The 
Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles maintains a FREE database of Los Angeles' Mural History linking artists, murals and neighborhoods.
​      The foundation of this database was shaped by Robin Dunitz' book "Street Gallery", the first true compilation of Los Angeles public murals.
      The MCLA website allows submissions of murals created recently in Los Angeles, forming an ever growing archive joining the historic with the new.

“The MCLA site can be searched by Mural Location, Artist, Type, or Title.” -RQ

​​The Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 86231, Los Angeles, CA 90086-0231
Phone:
(213) 291-1811
Email:
[email protected]
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/muralconservancy
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/themcla



​And here’s the book the collection was originally based on
(one of my favorites)


​
"Street Gallery

Guide to over 1000 Los Angeles Murals"
by Robin Dunitz (Author)
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With a foreword by Adolfo V. Nodal.
431 pages including an index with artists biographies and a bibliography.
​A comprehensive listing with maps showing the locations and in some cases a brief description and/or a color photo of the more than 1,000 murals of Los Angeles and its surrounding neighborhoods. 
2 Comments

The Painter’s Craft

9/5/2022

0 Comments

 
“Here are two of my favorite books from my library… ”
​“The Painter’s Craft”
An introduction to artists’ methods and materials
By Ralph Mayer
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The author is regarded with respect by artists in all fields. In this book he concentrates his attention upon the practicing painter, the hobbyist and the student and supplies a unique guide to the crafts of painting, dealing expertly with the ingredients of pigments, carriers and grounds, and the ways in which these materials are applied. It is an authoritative treatment of the techniques of painting, concerning the mechanics rather than the aesthetics of these skills.
Contents:
     1)  Introduction
     2)  Color
     3) Pigments
     4). Grounds
     5). Oil Painting
     6). Tempera Painting
     7). Aqueous Paints
     8). Pastel
     9)  Mural Painting
     10) Synthetic mediums
     11) Studio and Equipment


When I am asked what to do to learn the basics of mural painting, I say get a job prepping for a good all-around House-painter. Then, after you have been fired from a few jobs, and you have learned how to prep and work with gallons of paint, how to carry ladders and set scaffolding,
and how to fix a few mistakes...
I used to say "get a job as a scenic artist",
but that’s way too old school now.
(I don’t think those jobs even exist anymore!) 

So now I just say "...get Ralph’s books." -RQ
​

Also by this Author:
“The Artist’s Handbook”
​of materials and techniques

By Ralph Mayer
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Since 1940, when it was originally published, The Artist's Handbook has been indispensable for thousands of practicing artists and art students. The book has remained continuously in print through many editions and has sold more than a quarter of a million copies.

It is, as American Artist Magazine calls it, the "artist's bible," an invaluable reference for the painter, sculptor, and printmaker. During the past few years, however, new art movements and new research have led to many changes in the technology of artist's materials. With the assistance of Mayer's widow, Bena, and his colleagues, Viking and Steven Sheehan, Director of the Ralph Mayer Center at Yale University, have prepared this latest revision of the book, which is now completely updated and expanded.


The Handbook does retain its original, user-friendly format. Mayer intended that this encyclopedic volume be referred to frequently, and he therefore gave specific, practical advice on every aspect of his subject. In addition, he compiled valuable lists for the artist: retail sources for materials, a pigment catalog, a bibliography, and an extensive appendix. The detailed index makes all of this information immediately accessible.
0 Comments

JOHN PUGH / Narrative Illusionism

8/29/2022

1 Comment

 
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"Pool of Thought"
John Pugh, Trompe L'oeil Artist,
American Muralist, Optical Illusion Painter, has created
​more than 200 murals and is considered to be
the leading proponent, authority, and practitioner of
​Narrative Illusionism.

​
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JOHN has been creating murals since the late 1970s.
He attended California State University Chico,
receiving his BA in 1983 and the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2003. He has received numerous public and private commissions in the United States, Taiwan, and New Zealand.
John lives in Santa Cruz, California.
​Visit www.illusion-art.com
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    John Pugh's murals appear in more than 30 cities throughout the country, including San Francisco, Miami, Honolulu, and Anchorage.
Pugh's work has been featured in publications worldwide, including Time magazine, Artweek, Art Business News,
the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times,
​and the San Francisco Examiner.

​

"Okay, So here is another great book for the library!":
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“The Murals of John Pugh: Beyond Trompe l'Oeil”
                by Kevin Bruce

    A full-color collection of master trompe l'oeil muralist John Pugh's art, alongside detailed analysis - from conception to unveiling - with an emphasis on how his work relates to and enhances its setting. Includes more than 40 full-color photos of the murals depicting architectural, natural, and pictorial settings.
    This full-color collection showcases Pugh's most famous pieces, discusses how he revitalized the trompe l'oeil ("trick of the eye") genre into a vital mode of artistic expression, and illuminates the artist's creative process from sketch to finished mural.
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"River of Mercy"
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      “For more than three decades, world-renowned trompe l’oeil artist John Pugh has engaged and captivated the public with large-scale mural projects in spaces across the world, including San Francisco, Miami, and New York, as well as Taiwan, Mexico, and New Zealand. His “trick of the eye” murals cleverly fool the viewer into seeing a modern facade’s broken wall revealing Greek columns or a woman reading in a cafe. But Pugh’s paintings also capture the imagination and engage the mind. Within a framework of artfully rendered illusionary space, he orchestrates layers of historical, social, and mythical commentary that challenge the viewer to find deeper levels of meaning.
     With a body of work now exceeding 200 murals, Pugh has been instrumental in revitalizing the trompe l’oeil genre, turning it into a legitimate and vital mode of artistic expression that is both aesthetically and intellectually challenging.
     In Pugh’s own words:
 ‘It can link people together, stimulate a sense of pride within the community, and introduce the viewer to new ideas and perspectives.' ”     
     -Kevin Bruce, (Author of The Murals of John Pugh: Beyond Trompe L’oeil, 2006) is a native Californian born in San Francisco in 1941. He is currently engaged as an art historian and author with a focus on chronicling the contemporary mural. He resides with his wife and fellow mural archivist, Pauline, in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Berkeley, California.
​

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'Light Walk"
1 Comment

How to Paint Anything!

7/18/2022

1 Comment

 
"How to Paint Anything
​The complete Guide to painting and refinishing”

By Hubbard H. Cobb
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"So when it comes to painting...
I’m pretty much ‘old school’, and I love books!
​I have many books on materials and techniques in my library, but a few are really the most useful because they are well organized and have a lot of good foundational material and are clear and to the point.
This is one of them!"
Contents:
1)  paints: general information
2)  enamel, clear finshes, and stains
3)  specialized paints and finishes
4)  brushes, rollers, paint equipment, and supplies
5)  paint problems and failures
6)  how to remove paint
7)  how to paint and finish wood
8)  how to paint masonry
9)  how to paint metals
10) how to paint the outside of a house
11) how to paint the inside of a house
12) how to paint and refinish wood and concrete floors
13) how to paint and refinish furniture
14) special finishes for furniture woodwork
15) how to paint boats
16) how to paint swimming pools
17) how to paint special materials
18) how to paint anything
"I always say that if you want to be a muralist, the best foundation you can have (while you are learning to be an artist and how to draw) is to get yourself fired from several different house painter’s jobs, preferably by an ‘old-school’ craftsman or two. Learn your materials, how to carry ladders, how to match colors, how to prep, and how to avoid and fix mistakes.
I have learned valuable information from every one of these chapters, for one project or an other." -RQ
 
1 Comment

‘THE ART OF CHALK’ by Tracy Lee Stum

6/20/2022

0 Comments

 
Here is one of my favorite books in my library:
‘THE ART OF CHALK’
Techniques and Inspiration for Creating Art with Chalk
by
Tracy Lee Stum

​
“This is the go-to book for everything from
chalkboard art to anamorphic murals.

From the history of chalk, to how to make your own pastels.
 From 'fine-art' to street-painting,
Tracy has it all covered with gorgeous photographs
and contributions from 50 contributing artists!
I highly recommend this book!”
-Roberto Quintana, WFA
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In ‘The Art of Chalk’ by noted street painter Tracy Lee Stum takes an inspiring look at the many exciting creative applications for this easily accessible medium. With a historic overview of chalk's origins as an art medium, and how its artistic uses have evolved over the centuries, this book is a wealth of knowledge for anyone looking to get creative with this time-honored art medium.

Featuring the impressive work of some of today's most prominent artists and designers, 'The Art of Chalk' explores helpful and inspiring techniques used in typography and lettering, fine art, and the intricate, elaborate, and mind-bending chalk designs known as street art. In the resources section, you'll even find a detailed listing of chalk festivals held around the world.



(for 5 bonus points)
50 Down:
Medium that Tracy Lee Stum draws in


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0 Comments

Unfaded Pageant: Edwin Austin Abbey's Shakespearean Subjects

5/30/2022

2 Comments

 
“Here’s another of my favorite books from my library”…
​

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"Unfaded Pageant: Edwin Austin Abbey's
Shakespearean Subjects"

by Lucy Oakley
Wallach Art Gallery, 1994
8 1/2 x 11", 104 pp.
88 illus., 9 in color

ISBN 1-884919-00-6, Paper
​

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/wallach/publications/
Unfaded-Pageant.html

​
This excellent catalogue features 75 items.
Extensive note section for the five sections in this catalogue. A mighty reference. Includes a useful chronology and the following essays:
Abbey and Shakespeare;
Illustrations for the Comedies;
Paintings Exhibited at the Royal Academy;
Costume Designs for Henry Irving"s Richard II;
Illustrations for the Tragedies and Histories.
​
​Chronicles the history of the artist's Shakespearean work, which influenced late Victorian stage productions, and examines his interpretations in the context of late Victorian attitudes towards the plays and the wider context of English art. Contains numerous b&w and color illustrations spanning the range of Abbey's Shakespearean art, including sketches, book and magazine illustrations, costume designs, and oil paintings and studies.
​Distributed by the U. of Washington Press.
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King Lear, Act I, Scene I (1898)
Edwin Austin Abbey
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​
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​

"The Queen in Hamlet" 1897
​ Edwin Austin Abbey


See more over here...
​

The American Artist Who Loved Everything British: Edwin Austin Abbey’s Shakespeare Paintings
https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/abbeys-shakespeare-paintings/



2 Comments
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       ...to Roberto's Blog!

    ‘Duit-On-Mon
    -Dai-Luna-Prime’

        Roberto has been pestering the ‘Marketing’ staff here at Art and Soul for some time now to get together with ‘Research and Development’ to come up with a fun way for him to share all the great work out there of all the many other talented muralists and artists he's been "influenced by" over the years. ‘Sales’ was totally against the idea! ("How could that possibly improve the bottom-line?!"). ‘Marketing’ remains split, as usual ("We need more data"). ‘R&D’ thought it might be a fun way to "show off a little", and to showcase all those great ideas they keep finding out there on the internet. ‘HR’ said it might be a good way to keep 'The Crew' distracted ("Since they are all so bored since Covid hit, and Roberto is spending more and more time in his studio working on all those silly little easel paintings").
    'The Crew' said: ’'Sure, We've got nothing else going on …but only if we get to share stuff about technique, materials, and equipment." ‘Receivables’ said: "It obviously won’t make more work for us, so why not!". 'Legal' said: "No Way! You are NOT going to reveal where you steal all your ideas from!" (Although Roberto values their legal advice, He rarely listen’s  to their hysterics anyway). So... here we are! Welcome!
    ​

    ‘Duit-On-Mon-Dai-
    Luna-Prime’
    ​     "As the title implies, I will post once a Month (on the first  Monday, more or less). Feel free to leave a family friendly comment. Dialogue and praise is encouraged. Creativity, passion and wonder should be expected. Politics and personal grievances hopefully kept to private emails. And please… no Whining! and no sales pitches either (you can make your own damn blog for that).
       I expect to start becoming a little more savvy with all this social media stuff, but for now ‘Bookmark’ my website and check back every once in a while. I hope you will find it interesting. Don’t be too persnickety over my whimsical spelling and creative punctuations either, my
    Editorial Department is not what it used to be… I am seriously understaffed these days."   
     Peace and Love...
    ​     -Roberto Quintana, WFA

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