Art Materials Research

Decades ago, one of my teachers used to rant about how little most artists those days understood about their materials. In fairness, at that time people without access to a large library had real problems getting information about paint, mediums, and so on, and accuracy was difficult to pin down. Big printed compendiums about art materials seemed out of date by then, perhaps biased besides. Beyond providing introductions to certain ideas encyclopedic books about materials could not provide needed depth. Original research information more difficult to access. Perhaps worse, a lot of what was available was "anecdotal." That is, information based on personal experiences instead of rigorous research protocols. In short, we knew and did what we were told others traditionally had done, more or less.

My teacher was adamant that to understand any particular material or substance--drying oils, paint formulations, mediums and so on--you should do your own testing. He had done personal testing of drying oils, for example, to see how quickly, completely and durably they form a film, once applied. There are dozens of possibilities for personal testing of simple things like oils or solvents alone. The obvious problem for most artists is the time needed while still doing whatever art they pursue. Artists mostly don't have time or the inclination to be researchers. Besides, evidence collected is then still limited to the experience of a single person--that is, it would be considered "anecdotal" at best. What to do?

Just a few days ago while tidying storage spaces I ran across an old test canvas from 2002 (above). It's an interesting set of tests involving various kinds of oils, resins, and mediums that interested me then. The test is on a piece of acrylic-primed canvs (titanium white). The Cennini paint company has been out of business for a decade or more, but Winsor and Newton, Doak, and Grumbacher still have lines of oils, resins, and so on. Winsor and Newton's Liquin is very popular. These squares were laid down in April 2002 and observed for months. My notes have disappeared, and this is the first I've looked at them in at least eighteen years. They've been in a dark, temperature-controlled storage space. As you can see, sun-thickened oil, stand oil, and linseed oils all yellowed substantially. Liquin (which may or not be the same as today's compound) yellowed too, though a bit less. Copal-based compounds yellowed even less, and mastic and dammar resins only yellowed somewhat. Since we know that oils and even dried oil films can bleach in sunlight, I'm now going to leave this canvas in the light and observe. 

Happily, there are a lot of alternatives to anecdotal or inaccurate materials information. Numerous places to visit online are replete with art materials research from a spectrum of sources. Besides manufacturers' public research efforts, museums in many countries do extensive research into materials as well when restoring art works. Restoration of art works provides information regarding the successes and failures of materials of the past. Finally, there are nonprofit organizations devoted to similar ends. Here are only a few.

Governmental
The National Gallery of Art maintains a Materials Study Center. If one is interested in original research into materials there is an extensive set of links to papers from the Center. Also linked are useful articles (e.g. spectral comparisons of historical pigments vs. contemporary ones). A number of special projects is also available, including a review of 16th century materials and methods. 
The Smithsonian Institution has a conservation division as well, The Lunder Conservation Center, which (pandemic excluded) is open to the public. Furthermore, there is a wealth of recorded material online at the site.

Corporate
The Golden Paint company provides an exceptionally useful and balanced publication, Just Paint that provides a wonderful resource for technical information about all kinds of paint. Golden not only makes acrylics but also oils (Williamsburg) and watercolors.

Foreign 
The National Gallery (UK) has researched much involving materials and methods as related to its own collection and the artists represented. Their Technical Bulletins are available on the website (linked), dealing with everything from dyestuffs, media, pigments, and so on. And free of charge.