The Path to Plein Air Painting: A Peek at Pigments
The Path to Plein Air Painting Part I: A Peek at Pigments Box, 1880-1939, Metal; Wood, 104.39.1003 Pigment: A substance used for colouring or painting, especially a dry powder, which when mixed with oil, water, or another medium constitutes a paint or ink. At the Whyte we have approximately 16,000 paintings and drawings. A large percentage of these are attributed to our founders Peter Whyte and Catharine Robb Whyte. In order to understand how it was possible for Peter and Catharine to paint we must explore the materials that allowed them to paint. Without the development of pigments, mediums, and artistic tools, artists, like Peter and Catharine would not have been able to become the artists they were. Join us as we explore the history of that development. The long history of pigments has been a deadly, expensive, and continuous endeavour. In the past, artists have used a variety of pigments that were sourced from animals, insects, plants, minerals, and