CALCITE SUN OIL AGUADO METHOD of oil painting

BLOG - FAQ's

DEAR READERS
I will not join the Forums because though I do read them, I see frequent bickering, put downs, anger and strife.
I will not create a Blog because I am just too busy with my correspondence with artists across the globe.
I enjoy talking one on one, and assisting painters with their oil painting questions. I have established many fine friendships through this manner.
This page will eventually have a number of answers to FAQ's and it will grow as time permits.
It will also include ESSAYS by other painters and educators that I deem important to SAFETY and PERMANENCE in Oil Painting

Most of you know the various BLOGS and AMIEN is one. The AMIEN staff tries hard to give solid information. They are not perfect
like none of us are. When I teach or write I am guided by the FOUR 'C''s. = CLEAR- CONCISE - COMPLETE - CORRECT.
Though I do my best, I find the need for constant revision, upgrading and improving...maybe I could call that R-U-I.
I'm the first to say I do not have all the answers and know numerous unanswered questions remain.

I recently found an older posting on AMIEN that I am compelled to place here on my website. It discusses MAROGER'S MEDIUM.
The US Copyright laws have a FREE USE clause that allows one to use copyrighted material if it is not for commercial gain.

I respectfully use this article as provided by law and give due citation to the AMIEN website.
The portion I place here is but part of a much longer section of conversation between the AMIEN STAFF and ARTISTS.
One can read the entire section here= http://www.amien.org/forums/showthread.php?t=86
The areas in BOLD are mine because they make a specific point that I consider to be very important

I thank AMIEN, the Moderator MARKG, the author Michael SKALKA and you the readers.
Please note. The posting began on 7-20- 2006 and has continued into 2008 with various commentaries

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07-20-2006
markg
Super Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Chagrin Falls, OH
Posts: 1,374

The Maroger Mediums

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[ Markg says:] This is courtesy of my colleague Michael Skalka, Conservation Administrator at the National Gallery of Art in
Washington DC. His publication, THE GRAMMAR OF COLOR, is well worth subscribing to.
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THE GRAMMAR OF COLOR
Volume: 2, No. 9

When it comes to mediums used by artists, the argument is circular in nature. The materials take on a spiritual quality and the
practitioners have a reverence that is almost religious in nature. Arguing with them is akin to playing the part of Clarence Darrow
against William Jennings Brian in the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925. To make your point you appear to be denying the existence of
God!

So to fully qualify for the circular nature, I am dedicating this Grammar of Color to all of you who need to rehash a subject that I
covered in the past. Yes, it's deja vu all over again and it only gets more repetitive with every retelling. Perhaps the heated oil and
lead have finally gotten to the Maroger users and they just cannot retain information anymore! Perhaps the heated oil and lead
have finally gotten to the Maroger users and they just cannot retain information anymore! Oh! Where was I?

For those of you who follow WetCanvas, this is a retread of posting I made on Maroger Medium with some humorous asides. There
is no joking with the WetCanvas group when it comes to discussing mediums. For some this essay will be the first time around. For
others it may bear repeating. For me, it's a lot like the movie, Groundhog Day. Only the people I am addressing regarding Maroger
Medium on the internet web site don't look a bit like Andie MacDowell.

The subject of this discussion is a review of the article "Old Master Recipes in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s: Curry,
Marsh, Downer and Maroger," by Lance Mayer and Gay Myers. It provides a wealth of information on the history and effects of
the use of painting mediums, especially Maroger Medium. If after reading it you are not convinced that this medium has hostile
intentions for your painting, you have missed the point of this well-documented article and you should use this medium, often and
liberally.

The paintings of Reginald Marsh and John Stuart Curry, who were enthusiastic advocates of Maroger and his mediums, (Emphasis
on mediums - plural, that I will address later.) suffered to a far greater degree than Curry's studio assistant's William McCloy. No
statistics on the amount used by the two artists were mentioned, but notes on their studio practices do exist and were quoted. Both
were fairly liberal with the use of Maroger's formulations and the authors, upon examining paintings in various collections, noted the
cracks and wrinkles in the paint surface as evidence of the accelerated drying caused by Maroger medium. Curry and Marsh had
paintings that nearly self-destructed shortly after they completed them. Desperate to believe that Maroger held the Secret of the Old
Masters, they smeared paint and medium around and saw the results unfold, figurative and literally.

Modern day painters appear to advocate a "moderate" approach to the use of Maroger Medium. Using 10 percent or less gives
them the paint handling characteristics while feeling that the volume of medium will do no lasting harm. It seems that moderating the
inclusion of detrimental material will stave off the ill effects of the materials contained within the medium. I find that similar to saying
that someone is just a little pregnant. Research has provided the notion that small amounts of harmful material in an oil film will have
long-term impact on its aging. The addition of natural resin into an oil paint will do several things no matter how much is
added. First, natural resins aid in making paint more glass-like over time. Oil paint will do this on its own without any added help
from natural resins so that the adulteration with resin only serves to worsen the problem. Second, natural resins create more soluble
paint films. This is compounded with both the resins and oil darkening over time so that when the customary coating of natural resin
varnish needs to be removed because it has become very yellow and cloudy, the paint containing the infusion of natural resin will
react the same way to the solvent mixture used to remove the varnish. The best a conservator can do is to thin the varnish to
remove at least some of the discolored yellow coating. Third, the appearances of paintings with added resin mediums suffer from
cracking, flaking and discoloration to a greater degree than with unadulterated oil paints. The other enemies of paintings are shock
and vibration from transport, high temperature and humidity conditions around a painting, exposure to light levels and natural or
artificial disasters (floods, fires, etc.) In all these cases the incorporation of natural resins, given their brittle, yellowing properties,
serve to accelerate the effects of shock, temperature and light exposure.

On so many occasions Maroger Medium zealots blame conservators of looking only at a paintings faults rather than its virtues. As a
"doctor" of paintings, conservators only see "sick" patients. However, conservators in museum practice see many more paintings in
good condition than those that need remedial treatment. The examination of pictures slated for exhibition and a review of the
condition of paintings on view in galleries that are all in good condition comprise a greater number than those that need treatment.
So conservators are very aware of paintings that are doing well and remain with little change as long as the environment remains
stable.

Conservation literature is filled with articles on damaged paintings and how they were treated. Conservators treat paintings in order
to earn a living. They do not have the luxury of being able to study materials and do experiments on the stability or longevity of art
materials for the sake of artists, unless artist were amenable to paying for this kind of advice. If conservators are akin to doctors,
how many journal articles are devoted to wellness as opposed to teaching other physicians how to treat the illnesses that are
presented to them on a daily basis? Conservators learn new techniques for treating objects by reading the novel approaches
conservators apply toward problems encountered. Art historians write about pictures that are in good shape. Conservators write
about paintings that have fallen ill.

We rely on art schools to teach and work out the techniques that create successful, long-lasting works of art. I hear the skeptics
among you snickering out there. Sounding like someone's mother, "So if you don't learn proper painting technique at home or in
school, you will pick it up out on the street." It is no wonder that on-line art forums are so successful. They serve as the classroom,
home and "street" for our hunger for information, sharing of ideas and the fruits of our labors.

Both Marsh and Curry, eager to experiment with materials, unfortunately became associated with Maroger at the most
inappropriate time in the careers of all three individuals. Marsh and Curry were approaching their prime and the use
of these mediums, while inspiring at first, became a nightmare for both artists as their paintings failed. The
correspondence between the artists and Maroger became increasingly confusing.

The confusion expressed by Maroger exposed his shortcomings. With American painters desire to learn Old World techniques and
past practices, Maroger claimed to know the Secrets of the Old Masters. Aided by books written by Doerner, Vibert and Laurie that
were introduced during the early 20th century, artists were keen on learning the Secrets that would create great paintings. Maroger
stepped forward to "ride the wave" and claim to have the Secret of the Old Masters.

But, why would this 'secret' evolve over time? Maroger's medium in 1940 was a two-part system of 50 percent Gum Arabic in water
and a second part composed of dissolving damar in linseed oil using heat. Maroger instructed the user to mix the gum and damar
mixture vigorously to create a single painting medium. Maroger then proposed that the gum and damar mixture should have a
companion medium. A solution of 10 percent litharge by weight cooked with linseed oil was used to create black oil. Maroger
instructed that the black oil should be used on the surface of the painting to create the monotone underdrawing. The gum and
damar mixture would be applied with the paint on top of the black oil underpainting.

Soon after Maroger change the recipe to have colors ground in black oil with the exception of the whites and yellows. By 1942
Maroger recommended the use of white lead instead of litharge to make black oil. The amount of lead went from 30 percent, down to
20, then to 3 to 4 percent. When Maroger moved to his famous Baltimore address, he concocted a new medium. It was a solution of
mastic dissolved in turpentine or linseed oil (walnut oil could be substituted as well) mixed with his black oil medium. I suppose he
was so absorbed in his work and unaware of history that he failed to recognize that he had just reinvented the 18th century medium,
MEGILP. Are we surprised? Given the limited number of variables that Maroger was controlling, it was inevitable that Megilp would
come out of those "happy" little experiments.

After all these changes and revisions, Marsh and Curry finally realized that Maroger did not possess any of the
Secrets of the Old Masters. He was merely experimenting and trying to gain undeserved notoriety during a time when
knowledge in the techniques of the Old Masters would have propelled the holder of the secret to fame and possible
fortune. Hence, in hindsight, we see Maroger as a snake-oil salesman desperate to come up with a formulation to
simulate a painting technique that we now know by scientific investigation, never relied on a secret medium.

Some cosmic justice did come from Maroger's experiments. Mayer and Myers examined paintings by Maroger and
found, just has they did with works by Marsh and Curry, the same kinds of traction crackle, wrinkling and uneven
yellowing was present.

Overall, Maroger zealots will not find evidence to assuage themselves in the article written by Mayer and Myers. Rather, with the
addition of natural resins and drying oils to paint, the damage that leads to inherent vice is done. The resins amplify the brittleness
of the paint, cause yellowing and make the paint highly soluble. We have not gone into the issue of metallic driers, but I can tell you
that I have not met a paint scientist that is comfortable with the chemical action of metallic driers. My friend and colleague, Leslie
Carlyle wrote a thesis and subsequent book on mediums that contain metal driers noting the adverse consequences of adding these
materials to paint. Marion Mecklenburg of the Smithsonian is writing and speaking on the threats of metallic driers. They are
dangerous and do unusual things to the structure of paints. You get quick drying time at a price that many artists who want their
work to last a long time would be unwilling to pay. Quality of ingredients, the amount of medium and the care of the painting are
inconsequential in the long run. The chemistry of the ingredients in Maroger medium along with time will lead to
degradation of the paint film.

It is analogous to a very powerful poison. No matter what the amount, no matter what the quality (purity) of the poison, and no matter
how well the patient is cared for by a physician, they will still succumb to the effects of the toxic properties of the material used.

You can't have it both ways with Maroger medium: good working properties and no ill effects to your paintings. As I stated previously,
oil paint is prone to becoming brittle, yellow, crack and flake even under the best of circumstances. Introduction of natural resins will
make it even more brittle, yellow more than straight oil paint and promote an increase in flaking and cracking. Metal driers like lead
will only compound the woes I have already mentioned.

I was not kidding about the religious nature of Maroger. Jacques Maroger's studio studio still exists. Said to be a copy of a Parisian
studio, it's high ceilings, windows and entry way, for all intents and purposes, it looks just like a chapel. For those of you who would
like to make the "pilgrimage," it is located on the campus of Loyola College of Maryland, in Baltimore. It is still used today as a studio
teaching space.

To the Honorable William Jennings Bryan wherever you are, I rest my case. Amen.

The Grammar of Color

If others you know want to receive The Grammar of Color and our lecture announcements, please forward this e-mail to them and
instruct them to send me a message requesting to be on the recipient list at:

m-skalka@nga.gov

They will be added to the database/addressbook. If you wish to be removed from the list please send a message to the address
listed to be taken off of the database.
__________________
The AMIEN Staff

HERE IS AN EXCELLENT ARTICLE ON AMIEN DISCUSSING MAROGER'S MEDIUM

1. FORGET THE ..."FAT ON LEAN"..PRINCIPLE : Not needed with CSO- a Summary from my book

2. IMPORTANT and EXCITING NEW INFORMATION DIEGO VELAZQUEZ' METHOD OF WORKING

3. THE CSO/AGUADO METHOD= See the tab AGUADO
A MAJOR EXPANSION OF THE CSO/EMULSIONS METHOD. THE NEW DEVELOPMENT IS CALLED THE CSO/AGUADO METHOD

THE WORD , "AGUADO" IS A SPANISH WORD. It is phonetically pronounced in English as AH-GOO-AH-DOH The accent is on the 3rd syllable

4. WWW.ASKMAURICE.ORG, PAINTS A PORTRAIT WITH CSO

5. CSO-FIXATIVE METHOD of SAFELY FIXING CHARCOAL DRAWINGS

6. DANGERS OF USING MAROGER'S MEDIUM : From the AMIEN BLOG

"FAT ON LEAN" .This short essay provides guidance on this important principle of oil painting.
Fat on Lean', is given by instructors as a cardinal rule one must never violate.
WITH the CSO/EMULSIONS method of oil painting, this rule is NOT IMPORTANT and need not be followed.

When mixing solvents with oil paint, this rule must be followed. When volatile solvents ( evaporative liquids) such as turpentine are
added to oil paint, the paint becomes LEAN. This lean condition accelerates the drying of the oil paint. IF the FASTER DRYING solvent
containing paint is applied on top of a SLOWER DRYING non-solvent paint layer, the two different drying rates will cause the upper paint
film to crack.

With CSO , all the paint is FAT
The ONE rule with CSO that must be followed is , 'PAINT SLOWER DRYING PAINT ON FASTER DRYING PAINT".
This is easier than one thinks. When using the SUPERIOR oil described in my book and website, the oil dries within 30 hours without any
additives of any kind. This means that YESTERDAY'S paint application is one day into drying [ oxidizing] .
This means that TODAY'S paint application .....on YESTERDAY'S paint ......is SLOWER DRYING.

Still, one must learn which colors dry slower or faster than others. UMBER is such a very drying color, and mixing just a bit of it
with other colors increases the drying rate. If you underpaint in grays, monotones, muted color grisaille methods, then , adding umbers to
all the colors used will insure a faster drying paint.

OIL OUT With the CSO / Emulsions method. As soon as the paint layer is TACKY DRY, it can be "oiled out", and a new layer paint can
be applied. Following the correct application method of 'oiling out' is crucial.

TECHNIQUE OF DIEGO VELAZQUEZ ( 1599- 1661) [ information posted 6-28-2009]

I receive lots of mail from artists around the world ...who are passionate about Velazquez' paintings.
I know why too. Ive seen the original Velazquez paintings in most major museums, but in Madrid Spain, at the Prado
museum,you get to see the finest of the finest. My book is based on Rembrandt's and Velazquez' methods and
materials. Poor Jacques Maroger, he guessed that the ' translucent material ' he saw in Velazquez' paintings was WAX.
He said the same about Rembrandts paintings. Maroger was never so wrong as with these two grossly inaccurate
guesses. What we learned from science , published since 1988, is that both of these great masters added calcium
carbonate to their oil paint. This wonderful natural inert colorless material is 98% translucent in oil...causing Maroger to
think it was wax. Velazquez and Rembrandt added this calcium carbonate for several reasons, not only to create lifelike
translucent paint. My book goes into great detail on this topic, and also includes a ten page essay on Maroger's failure.

RECENTLY....i began a specific study that led me down a unique path. This study opened up a new awareness of
Velazquez' working method. Recent studies of Caravaggios work shows a similar use of this method. In brief, it involves
the use of scoring into the wet monotone and the grisaille. We all know Rembrandt scored his paint, clearly leaving the
scratches/ drawing/ incisions in the wet paint to add texture and to create a light colored line in the final effect.

JUST LAST year I was in Madrid. I studied the great paintings...as I have done many times before.....there in the Prado
Museum....yet I WILL ADMIT...I did not see what I will here post.
ONE PHOTO shows the hoof of a horse, and after 300 years the oil paint is now more translucent, and modern
photography allows filtering. The underdrawing scratches Velazquez made into the wet monotone and / or grisaille, are
clearly visible. They served him well because Velazquez did not underdraw with charcoal, nor pencil nor ink. Velazquez
was counseled by Rubens in 1628 to switch to light colored grounds.
On this ground, Velazquez painted his monotone with a dark colored paint. Into this drawing/painting of the design
composition, he accentuated the image by scoring into the wet paint.

WHEN THIS WAS DRY he overpainted with his colors. The overpainting layers obliterated the scoring--that are now
visible. Velazquez also, like Rembrandt left some of the light colored scoring lines visible as they added that 'halo' to
dark forms.
THE PHOTO OF THE HORSE'S HOOF shows these scoring incision drawing lines well

.

NEXT IS A PHOTO of a test I made of this technique. ON YOUR LEFT is the brown monotone
on a mid tone base color. A light thin gray colored grisaille is also painted onto the wet monotone.
The scratches help define the image.
ON THE RIGHT is the dried grisaille , over painted with colors. On purpose, I left many of the incision marking
visible..though they were easily covered if I had wanted.

THE NEXT PHOTOS shows a very simplified approach to using this technique. THE reason I was making this study was
to teach kids how to oil paint in a very simplified manner. During the study, is when I happened to use the scratching
method independent of Velazquez, and then saw it in his work.
THIS STUDY starts with a pencil drawing --something Velazquez did not do. BUT for young students, the pencil drawing
gives them assurance as they paint. Its a blue print.
THE first PHOTO is only at the grisaille stage.
THE next PHOTO RIGHT shows the details of the scratching.
THE PHOTO BELOW shows the finished LESSON PLAN for the students to follow.
LAST PHOTO is a detail. The FINISHING STAGE can really last for as long as the artist wants to work on the painting.
I still need to apply some glazes and fine details, and color corrections.

MAURICE GARSON PAINTS A PORTRAIT WITH THE CSO / EMULSIONS METHOD
SEE his fine website at www.askmaurice.org.
His site is extensive and dedicated to EDUCATION. He himself is a Fine Artist. You will enjoy his paintings and the varied topics of his site.
I encourage artists to visit with Maurice.

A few months ago, we communicated and recently he decided to EXPERIENCE CSO for himself.....and to write about it as he so
EXPERIENCED it.!

I am happy that fine artists with web site do try out the CSO/EMULSIONS method of Oil Painting. I know the method is truly foolproof, and my
book and site both describe it. I often cite the letters I have received from artists around the globe, describing THEIR EXPERIENCE with the
CSO/EMULSIONS METHOD. Thank goodness for those letters...otherwise...the NAYSAYERS would be really trying to discredit the CSO
method. Its hard to argue with the Testimonials of others.

IF YOU GO TO MAURICE'S PAGE: www.askmaurice.blogspot.com
you can see his progress on painting a portrait with CSO. I support all creative artists in whatever they wish to do, and however they wish to
alter ANY MEDIUM to suit their needs. Maurice is a talented experienced painter with much experience in many media. His creativity showed
itself as he worked with CSO..even trying NEW things I have not done. I do not criticize Maurice- on the contrary--I support his inventive
creativity.!!

Having said that. I will here post my review of Maurice's EXPERIENCE, which he so well describes in direct language and photos. He pulls no
punches. He is honest. It is a joy to read the words and words between the lines as this painter EXPERIENCES ...SOMETHING NEW!

5/18/09= Maurice begins his portrait. He describes the support he used He sized the back of an acrylic gesso canvas with PVA
On page 96 of my book, I describe using PVA as a size material. In short, IT DOES NOT SEAL the support. This absorbancy will allow oil from
upper layers to be sucked into the canvas, causing sunken spots in the upper paint layers. He then applied an oil ground to the PVA sized
canvas. THIS would have decreased the absorbancy of the PVA sized canvas.
PVA will render an acrylic gesso completely NON ABSORBENT, but it must be brushed only once as it will LIFT the gesso if rubbed.

6/3/09 = Maurice's second comment about his portrait. . He descibes the support in more detail.

6/8/09 = Maurice rightly says that the painter NEW to CSO will have to learn new habits. Its true, but they are simple. Most importantly he
says that solvents resins and driers are not needed and NOT WELCOME!! Thank you Maurice.!
Maurice says to grind the colors on the palette. I need to amplify this. The Old Masters used small hand palettes and large GRINDING
TABLES. My book describes that it is imperative that one use a GRINDING TABLE. A simple 2 FT x 2 FT glazed floor tile is adequate. All the
grinding, mixing, thinnin etc are done on this GRINDING TABLE. Then, placed on the small hand palete for use.
Maurice correctly notices that the CSO paint dries fast--within 24 hours- without solvents or driers!! I know the different colors we use dry
differently as do hand ground vs, tube paints. But this is one of the great advantages of CSO..its fast drying allowing next day work. THIS
FAST DRYING IS DUE...TO THE OIL... THE TRUE OIL OF THE OLD MASTERS. It is far superior to modern INDUSTRIAL linseed oils.

MAURICE'S creative mind led him to not use the oil out of the emulsion that I recommend. He did this to get a dry brush effect, but saw he
was building up paint. He then oiled out, and then found a NEW TECHNIQUE - one I have never tried. He began to draw with soft pastels into
the damp emulsion oil out. He then blended the pastels with finger or brush, and it appeared as oil paint. THIS NOVEL approach, might be
what led Maurice to notice that there were dry spots in the overall surface. As the added dry pigment may have been underbound. I will not
know until I try his technique out. Maurice warns NOT to use oil pastels nor dry CHALK sticks.

ONE IMPORTANT reason for the emulsion oil out , is that it allows the thinnest applications of paint...just like VELAZQUEZ thin paint....
withuse of a ROUND bristle brush..the thick viscous CSO paint glides effortless over the surface...AND EVERY BRUSHMARK stays where it is
placed. The EMULSION seizes the paint..until you want to move it, blend it, remove it, or alter it..whether thin or thick. THE CSO and the
EMULSION are designed to COMPLEMENT each other. ONE WITHOUT the other is only HALF the success. The oil paint is NEVER liquified
as in the solvent-resin method.

6/12/09= Maurice describes the fast drying of the paint. Its true. This superior oil is to me, ' THE REBIRTH OF THE OLD MASTER'S
SUPERIOR OIL". It allows oil painting without driers, solvents, varnishes or resins. ONE DAY, industry will produce this magnificent oil. I am
proud to be a pioneer in spreading its value to others.

MAURICE comments on the , ' still trying to get used to the thickness of CSO". YES, CSO PAINT is viscous, . but Maurice was using sables. I
recommend one use bristle brushes at the beginning and sables work very well for finishing the painting. The viscosity of the CSO paint is
EASILY blended with a bristle brush.

6/24/09= Maurice describes the dry areas. I think there are new causes, as the pastels might be the cause, as well as a partially absorbent
ground.
Maurice describes the need for a FATTER medium. Here I do not know what Maurice did. I give 2 possible ratio mixtures for the Emulsion.
Both are used very very sparingly, as the CSO PAINT is viscous [ fatty] of its own. He wonders whether changing the ratio of GLAIR and OIL
will cause drying problems. NO, not in the least. ONE MUST have MORE oil than Glair in the emulsion mix. My book describes this issue
carefully.

6/30/09 = Maurice writes that he has NEW information to inform the reader. He found that by LOADING the brush in minute quantitries he
can imitate his previous textures of the soft pastels. He calls the CSO, " this highly viscous medium".
It truly is highly viscous and that is how the paint is used. Any thinning is done with but one drop of the emulsion at a time..and never by
mixing with the brush..but, mixed/ ground with the palette knife on the GRINDING TABLE. ONE DROP will greatly alter the paint's consistency.
Maurice correctly notes that any dry areas are not an issue, as the final painting will receive an ultra thin emulsion oil out. This final layer oil
out is a permanent layer, not a removable layer ..such as is given with spirit varnishes.

CONCLUSION TO DATE 7/4/09
I am happy that an experienced painter such as Maurice has EXPERIENCED the CSO method LIVE!
I will wait to see the finished painting.

READ THE REVIEWS ON AMAZON.COM

The CSO-FIXATIVE METHOD of
FIXING CHARCOAL DRAWINGS SAFELY WITHOUT AEROSOL SPRAY CANS.
The paintings of the great 17th century Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens, leave me in awe. Study of the originals reveal a masterly
method of oil painting. Many times he began with a vine charcoal drawing , then with a wash of oil paint he glazed the darks. On this he
painted a grisaille with thick viscous paint then over layered it with a variety of finishing touches using thin and thick paint.

In the very large paintings of several feet in size, he casually left the charcoal drawing visible in the finished painting. The drawing has a
beauty of its own, showing Rubens' vast power as a draughtsman.

The question I always asked myself was... HOW DID RUBENS FIX HIS DRAWING?

Had he not fixed them, they would have smudged and the dark charcoal dirties the oil. TODAY we moderns have spray aerosols. We can
spray the drawing with FIXATIVE. But the aerosol cans create a HAZARDOUS environment for the breathing of artists. The repugnant
odor itself is reason not to use the aerosols. Headaches are common from the mist.

The only solution I knew of is to lie the canvas or panel on the floor, and a FINE MIST SPRAYER filled with odorless and SAFE liquid is
sprayed over the support, landing on the charcoal and FIXING the grains of dust. But the results were never entirely as successful as the
clear FIXED charcoal drawings I would see in RUBENS’ paintings.

WHAT WAS RUBENS’ METHOD?

It certainly could not have been a studio secret!
I felt it must have been commonly known by all. Yet, I have never seen it described in any ANCIENT manuscript or any MODERN book.

One day, in July 2009, I came upon a METHOD so simple, it must have been the one used by RUBENS and others prior to the modern
Fixative aerosol spray cans. The answer came as a flash as one day as I sat looking at a charcoal drawing. Testing my hypothesis,
proved its ease and efficiency.

Here I am happy to share this on my website.
For personal reasons, I have previously shared it only with two valued and trusted friends.
Now, artists around the globe can discard the hazardous and unsafe aerosol spray cans.
Teachers in closed studios no longer need to expose their students to toxic spray mists.

- Posted August 8, 2009

THE FOLLOWING SERIES OF PHOTOS
demonstrate the CSO-FIXATIVE METHOD of
SAFELY fixing charcoal drawings to a support.

In this case, the drawing is on a gesso covered wood
panel.

THE UNFIXED drawing is seen first.

The panel is placed flat on a table.

A THIN cloth is placed carefully on top of the drawing
--I recommend a thin bed sheet.

DO NOT nail the cloth down as it must be removed
almost immediately

A helper is...helpful to keep the cloth taunt.

In this case I used hot Rabbit skin glue. Instead of a
squeege..I recommend use of a wide flat brush. It can
be used to douse the cloth and it can spread the
glue easily. The bare hand is also effective and it
spreads the glue easily.

Pressure can be applied and it does not disturb the
drawing.

It is important to keep the cloth from wrinkling.

Remove the wet cloth as soon as possible.
Try not to smudge the wet drawing.

The last photo shows the FIXED drawing.

NOW I KNOW why I would see small round dots in the
fixed drawings of the Old Masters...its the weave of
the cloth.

- posted 8/8/09