Book review: Ink Black Heart
I recently listened to the audio version of the detective novel The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith. Galbraith is the pen name used by J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter…
Transparent earth colors
Oil paint can be profitably judged for either its covering strength or transparency. This comports with some well known bits of studio wisdom: “fat over lean,” and “thick lights, thin…
Family mystery
My great-grandfather Ramey had a fierce personality. Even in his 90’s, he had no time for nonsense, epically from unruly children such as me. My grandmother ascribed her father’s fierceness…
So, war it is
When I was a kid, we lived near a SAC base (Strategic Air Command) where the nuclear bombers were stationed. Depending on the prevailing winds, the noise from the B-52’s…
Rebuilding my computer
My beat-up homemade computer is 15 years old. Future-proofing my computer by building it myself worked but not as well as I’d hoped. The new motherboard with current technologies, for…
I bought some Lukas 1862 paint
In my Oil Paint Brand reference I ignore Lukas oils, assigning them to the student-grade category. Recently I purchased an assortment of their 1862 line, which is their premier line. The…
Is there something wrong with stand oil?
After reading some of my disparaging remarks about stand oil, a reader asked me if there was something wrong with stand oil. The short answer is no, there is nothing…
Preparing a canvas surface for oil painting
This is a companion to my canvas stretching post. After you stretch a perfectly taut and square canvas, you’re ready to prepare the surface. Read moreIn the Studio Oct. 14…