Old paintings were created using a variety of techniques, depending on the era and the artist. Early methods were surprisingly simple yet effective.
Pigments and Binders: The Heart of the Matter
Painters mixed their pigments—the colored powders—with a binder to create paint. The binder acted like glue, holding the pigment together and allowing it to adhere to the surface. Different binders resulted in different paint types.
- Early Binders: Early artists were resourceful, utilizing readily available materials as binders. This included water, saliva, urine, and animal fats. [Reference: Early artists mixed their pigments into paint using water, saliva, urine, or animal fats. They then applied them with fingers, brushes, or by blowing them through hollow bones, like today's airbrushes.04-Jun-2018]
- Later Binders: As techniques evolved, artists began using more refined binders like egg yolk (tempera), oil (oil paint), and gum arabic (watercolor). These provided different properties—some were faster drying, others offered greater luminosity or detail.
Application Techniques: From Fingers to Brushes
The application methods were equally diverse:
- Fingers: Early artists sometimes directly applied pigments with their fingers.
- Brushes: Brushes, made from various animal hairs, became a more common tool.
- Airbrushing Precursors: Incredibly, some artists even used hollow bones to blow pigment onto the surface, a primitive form of airbrushing. [Reference: Early artists mixed their pigments into paint using water, saliva, urine, or animal fats. They then applied them with fingers, brushes, or by blowing them through hollow bones, like today's airbrushes.04-Jun-2018]
Surfaces: Preparing the Canvas
The surface upon which the paint was applied varied widely, including:
- Wood panels
- Walls (frescoes)
- Cloth (canvas)
Each surface required specific preparation to ensure the paint adhered properly.
Evolution of Painting Techniques
The methods of painting constantly evolved. The development of new pigments and binders, along with refinements in application techniques, led to the diverse and breathtaking range of artwork we see today. Each era brought its own innovations and artistic expressions.
