Home Dec catalogs can be a great source of information and inspiration for the artist. I get several, and like the bedding catalogs, I rarely order anything from them. But I always look through them, if for no other reason than to note color combinations. A recent Charles Keath catalog provided much more than that.
Right off the bat, I spotted this "transitional cabinet." It was the shape and configuration of the drawers that drew my interest. Fodder for my grid series? I think so.
Further on, I started to see "original wall art." I've often wondered how decorative artists can possibly keep up with orders once they show up in mass-marketed catalogs. Here I saw several ways, other than the common print. Fairly prevalent is transfer printing of images or photographs onto different bases like wood and canvas, followed by hand-finishing with oil brushstrokes or other coatings to mimic the feel of an oil painting. (The one shown here is by Don Li-Leger.) I happened to view such a photo transfer to canvas in an exhibit today, and it is a very effective technique. As they say, the look of an original oil with very crisp detail. I rather liked it.
Another method I've heard a lot about lately, but didn't understand until reading the description here is giclee (scroll down page and click on the giclee link). The catalogue describes it this way: "...an image of the original painting is laser printed directly onto canvas. It is then hand brushed with an acrylic sealer which adds highlights to enhance its beauty. This piece is by Linda Bernhard.
3 comments:
Hi Sheila,
A Glicee is nothing more than an ink jet print, not necessarily printed on canvas nor stabilized with an acrylic overcoat. It's good that they are doing these things, but in truth, the high-falutin' word is just another term for ink jet computer print.
Yes, June, this is true. The link to an alternate description does say the term is french for "spray of ink" and refers to the spray of an ink jet printer. So I wondered at this reference to laser printers, since it is a different technology.
I've also heard that there are varying qualities to giclees - as in so many things in life, all are not created equal. What interested me here was the extra step that was being taken to turn a print into something with a handmade touch as it were - that hand brushing of some medium over the top.
love that cabinet, though it does beg the question of just what is a "transitional cabinet" - but I see why you like the shape - I can imagine a piece done with just that sort of arrangement. Hmm. Off to sketch...
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