Oil Paintings Essay Example for Free

Oil Paintings Essay The oil painting technique traces its roots all the way back to a time between the fifth and ninth century when it was first used in Western Afghanistan, yet it was made famous and the premier means of expression by the Renaissance movement in the 15th century by men like Leonardo Da Vinci and Raphael (Davide 46). The reason the oil painting technique gained this newfound popularity was due in large part to its ability to convey things such as human flesh more accurately while also giving the painter weeks in drying time to work. However, in order for us to properly understand the oil painting technique, we must first understand its composition and ability to create. The paint itself is created using two elements: pigments and oil. The pigments are dry colorants, such as mineral salts and other earth types, ground-up into a fine powder and separated by color. But since the pigments could not adhere to the painting alone, oil was used as a binder to do just that. Typically, linseed oil was used because it can polymerize, and therefore is a drying oil (Mayer, Ralph, and Sheehan 123). However, other oils such as walnut oil, sunflower oil, and tung oil are also used, especially if the artist would want to alter the drying times of the paint or lessen faint colors. A good example of an artist who even used different oils in the same painting was Leonardo Da Vinci, who â€Å"†¦ used a combination of oils while painting Adoration of the Maji, which some speculate was for the benefit of the artist to takeover this unfinished work† (www. henryfordgroup. org). Additionally, there are other elements to the composition of the oil painting that help altar the paint. In order to make alterations and correct elements, artists like to paint multiple layers; this also gives them the luxury of stripping off the paint already applied to the gesso (white glue that covers the medium on which the painting will be applied) without ruining the portions, which they would like to remain permanent. However, for the artist to do this, they need to apply thin layers of paint initially (‘under painting’), meaning they must mix the oil with a solvent such as white spirits or turpentine to dilute the oil. This is especially good for the artist using the â€Å"fat over lean† ethod, where each layer of paint contains more oil than the previous layer. Additional additives would also include varnishes that are usually made from damar gum crystals dissolved in turpentine, thus sealing the work and giving the painting a greater glossiness (Davide 47). The advantages of oil paintings include durability and versatility; oil paintings completed using proper drying time and properly created are very durable. Oil itself is non-polar and hydrophobic, meaning it will repel water, a key element in the deterioration of many pieces of art. Furthermore, oil actually dries through oxidization, in which â€Å"†¦non-polar covalent bonds are governed by the ionic forces between functional groups and the metal ions present in the pigment† (Mayer, Ralph and Sheehan 125). The consequential result is a stable film that’s bit of elasticity helps prevent any bleeding or flow from gravitational pull. In terms of versatility, varnishes allow for one to work on and complete independent elements over a vast time frame, while also the stripping of the varnish allow for the proper cleaning of paintings after many years of display. Moreover, the fine pigments ground into the oil allow for greater optical effect and translucency, which makes things such as human skin appear far more life-like. And with the use of a smooth surface greater lightness is reflected in the oil painting, which the varnish will help accentuate color and depth (Mayer, Ralph and Sheehan 125). This is due to the multiple refractions the varnish helps create, thus creating more perspective in the painting itself. There aren’t many disadvantages when it comes to oil painting, yet there are issues with drying time, aging, and blending. Drying time is an advantage to quite a few artists, yet those who like to use a sequence of washes in quick succession often find the oil painting technique difficult (Davide 48). Also, most curators would tell you that it takes from 60-80 years for an oil painting to finish drying. Aging concerns also are a major disadvantage, especially when artists use linseed oil, which tends to yellow or darken with age. However, this aging can be stifled if the artist has the proper tools. Finally, blending can also be a key concern because the oil tends to blur together causing the painting to become muddy and taking away from istinctive properties. The oil painting technique is typically applied to a canvas that is composed of a linen or cotton cloth and wooden â€Å"stretcher. † The canvas can then be coated with animal glue and primed with a mixture of white paint and chalk. This medium has been very popular since the 16th century; however, other mediums for oil paintings such as panels, linoleum, paper, and slate were also used (Davide 48). The canvas, though, was highly regarded for its lightweight, cheaper, and not prone to warping like a panel. In conclusion, the oil painting technique is still a very popular method used by artists today. However, many artists don’t make their own paint, rather they buy tubes from specialty stores, but still many of them stress the importance of knowing the components of the paint in which they are using. And as a result, those artists are able to showcase their works to the best of their abilities, because their understanding of the materials allows them to make adjustments and highlight key elements, thus putting their knowledge on par with the great painter’s of the Renaissance.

Homeschooling Essay -- Homeschool Education Teaching Essays

Homeschooling The definition of homeschooling is to instruct a pupil in an educational program outside of established schools (www.Dictionary.com). Homeschooling is a good alternative to public schools because of certain religious issues, standardized test success, and variety of options for homeschool students, but in some states homeschoolers are having trouble with the school system. Homeschooling has been on the rise in the United States and its popularity continues to grow among American families. According to the U.S Department of Education, in 2003 there were 1.1 million children in grades K thru 12 being homeschooled . The 3 most popular reasons for homeschooling are concerns about the environment of other schools, desire for religious or moral instruction, and dissatisfaction with academic instruction at other schools (2003 National Household Education Survey). Many parents have resorted to homeschooling their children because of certain religious issues and beliefs that these families see as not being taught in the public school systems. Many parents choose this method because most public schools do not participate in religious activities and parents want their children to be taught religion also, aside form everyday studies. Religion is also a big factor because the beliefs of these families and things they value and some believe that their child being in a public school environment will tamper with these beliefs and values. Some public schools around the country do still teach good values to their students and do believe in praying before school. There are a lot of religious organizations around the country encouraging parents to make a sacrifice for their children and teach them at home. Some... ...are put in society. Schools were setup to educate people who are not educated and help students to their best ability in order to prepare them for the outside world (Lyman,Isabel). With most schools just passing kids through school instead of taking the time to actually teach them, they are not doing society a favor because these kids have no skills to bring to society to better it. Homeschooliing provides the personal With the ever growing population of kids being homeschooled it is no surprise that more people are starting to realize the benefits of homeschooling and seeing it as an positive alternative to public schools. Some states are having problems with regulations, but most are doing just fine with the adjustment. Homeschooling is a good idea because of religious issues, its success on standardized tests, and the options open to kids who are homeschooled.

Chinese Communism DBQ Essay

Communism in China from 1925 to 1950 was a very interesting period in China, especially in terms of relationship between the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese peasants. Communism in China survived through the Japanese invasion and control of China during the Second World War. Based on evidence provided in the documents, the Chinese Communists and peasants both disliked and fought against landlords, the communists supported peasants in their fight against the Japanese, and made the lives of peasants over all better. One obvious relationship and similarity between peasants and communists is their hatred toward landlords. Direct evidence including instructions to local party officials (Doc 5) and a photo from Xinhua news agency (Doc 9) show the communists obvious bias to the peasants. The communists even created laws to overthrow the landlords, like the Agrarian Reform Law (Doc 8). The peasant’s hatred was so strong, in fact, that they violently threatened the landlords to get back all grievances (Doc 6). The communists were also confident and excited with the peasant movement that would overthrow landlords (Doc 1). The communists organized struggle meetings shown in a photo where peasants humiliated former landlords (Doc 9).

Essay Ill or Evil The Insanity Defense - 1559 Words

Insanity is one of those words used today that gets thrown around a lot. Our society has become so numb to it because we were it on a regular basis. Albert Einstein describes insanity as â€Å"doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.† Albert Einstein may have been a genius, but in this case he is wrong. There are people in this world who are mentally insane and they can’t help themselves. On rare occasions people like this become killers. In the legal system we have a defense an accused murderer can use to show they were not in their right mind when the act occurred. This is the insanity defense. This happens in 1% of criminal trials in the United States (US). A perfect example of a case that used†¦show more content†¦Not heeding her doctors warnings she became pregnant with her fifth child. After this, she engaged in self-mutilation, refused to eat, stopped feeding her baby, and â€Å"read the bible compulsively be fore falling into an almost catatonic state.† (Ewing 143). On June 20, 2001, Andrea Yates filled the bathtub with water and drowned all five of her children. After this she called the police confessing what she did, and then called her husband. She was charged with multiple counts of murder. After the jury listened to all testimonies she was found to be competent to stand trial because at trial she was being treated daily by a mental health professional and was on medications. Also, because the jury claimed that she, at the time, knew exactly what she was doing and killed her children in cold blood. She was found guilty and the jury decided in lieu of the death penalty, she would receive a sentence of life in prison. The decision was overturned in a 2005 Texas Court of Appeals after a psychiatric witness for the prosecution admitted he lied about his testimony, falsifying that she got the idea from a Law and Order episode, and a new trial began. Andrea Yates was found not guilty by reason of insanity, and was committed to a state hospital in Texas, where, more than likely, she will spend the rest of her life institutionalized. This is just one example of how the insanity defense woks in a court of law. According toShow MoreRelatedThe Insanity Plea Essay1134 Words   |  5 PagesThe Insanity Plea The insanity plea is a poor excuse for serious lawbreakers, and should have no bearing in the sentencing of criminals. All criminal cases today have three ways in which a defendant can plea. Guilty, not guilty, or Insanity. The word insane is a legal term. Because research has identified many different mental illnesses of varying severities, it is now too simplistic to describe a severely mentally ill person merely as insane. The federal law states that insanity is a fairRead MoreMelissa Lee. English 1100. Apirl-3-2017. . On March 24,1202 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the police interview, Thomas expounded that God told him to kill his family because they were possessed by evil spirits and that his estranged wife Laura was Jezebel, his son was the anti-Christ, and Laura’s daughter Leyla was an evil spirt. While in jail, Thomas told a nurse that his wife and children weren’t really dead and he had to remove their hearts to free them from evil spirts. Thomas refused to take anti-psychotic medication and while in custody, during two separate incidents, he hadRead MoreThe Insanity Plea: History and Implications2382 Words   |  10 Pagesthe insanity plea, a few questions should be kept in min d---1. 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