Thursday, December 3, 2009

A Truer Hue, Out of the Blue

Elvis had his Blue Christmas. Picasso had his Blue Period. And thanks to a freak discovery in a laboratory, the world now has a brand new Blue Pigment. This is news about hues, and the close ties between science and art.

"Basically, this was an accidental discovery," said Mas Subramanian, a materials scientist at Oregon State University. “Our work had nothing to do with looking for a pigment.” The researchers were attempting to make chemical compounds with novel electronic properties.

Eureka-time came when a mix of manganese oxide, which is black, and other chemicals were heated to around 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The superheated manganese was transformed into a crystal structure that reflected only blue light, while completely absorbing the red and green wavelengths.

“I was shocked, actually,” Dr. Subramanian said. "I realized immediately that something amazing had happened." The new planet-friendly pigment is a truer, bluer blue than anyone has ever known or seen.

People for millennia sought ways to paint things blue, often with limited success. The early Egyptians developed some of the first blue pigments, as did Mayan cultures, the Han dynasty in China, and others. It took until the 20th century to resolve the durability, safety and cost issues associated with blue pigments and blue paints.

Today's artists have several dependable and heavenly blues to choose: ultramarine, cobalt, magnesium, prussian, cerulean, indigo, phthalo, indanthrone and more.

The blue discovered in Oregon has proven safe and durable, and could eventually find uses in everything from inkjet printers to automobiles, textiles to house paint, as well as fine art paints, according to findings in published by the American Chemical Society.

At present, we can only guess when this new blue color it will become available at your friendly BINDERS art supply store. Nor can we say how it will perform when squeezed out of a paint tube.

What will be the name of this new blue? The discoverers have not yet decided what to call it. If you’d like to suggest a name, send it to us for posting. For now, BINDERS BLUE sounds like a pretty good name to us.

Visit the BINDERS website at www.bindersart.com!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

What Every Artist Wants Probably Isn’t Fruitcake

Artists can be hard to please. Sometimes we don’t know what we want or need, until we see it.

So if you can’t decide what to get that hard-to-please artist on your holiday gift list -- no problemo.

Take the guess-work out of holiday giving with a BINDERS gift card. Perfect for any artist, including you!

BINDERS versatile gift cards are available in your choice of values: $25, $50, $75, $100, $250 and $500. They’re easy wrap and give too, because they come complete with a card-holder and envelope that’s ready for you to personalize.

And it takes only minutes to complete your purchase online or in store.

BINDERS store-wide gift cards are good toward shopping for art supplies, art classes, framing and more at BINDERS. Your recipient makes the final choice on what to buy, then simply presents it at the time of purchase and amounts will be deducted from the card balance.

Thanks to BINDERS gift cards, this year’s holiday shopping won’t make you nutty as a fruitcake.

Visit the BINDERS website at www.bindersart.com!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

This Week @ BINDERS - November 30-December 6

SALES • ART CLASSES & WORKSHOPS • ART HAPPENINGS

BINDERS makes it so easy to please everyone on your gift list. And with our fantastic selection and discount prices you can wrap up your shopping fast. See BINDERS colorful Holiday Catalog for loads of nifty gift ideas. Meanwhile, BINDERS Art Classes are back following Thanksgiving Break. On Sunday, Rebecca Nagel leads a Children’s Holiday Workshop for Ages 5-10. Young artists will have fun and create their very own Masterpiece, while parents get a chance to shop and some fun too. Also on Sunday, we host an Opening Reception for the Shadowline Artist Group’s Winter Solstice Exhibition. Here’s to a healthy and happy Holiday season from everyone at BINDERS!

Monday, November 30:
Guided Open Studio with Kay Powell
10:30am-2pm • Every Monday
Fee: $15/session. No sign up needed. Please pay the instructor.

Guided Open Studio with Kay Powell
6:30-8:30pm • see details above.


Tuesday, December 1:
Painting - Design and Technique with Charles Y. Walls
1-4pm • 6 sessions, Tuesdays, Nov. 3-Dec. 15 • Fee: $140

Bookmaking with Anne Elser
6 sessions, Tuesdays, Nov. 3-Dec. 15 • 6-8:30pm • Fee: $140

Painting - Design and Technique with Charles Y. Walls
6-8:30pm • 6 sessions, Tuesdays, Nov. 3-Dec. 15 • Fee: $140

Wednesday, December 2:
Copperplate Calligraphy with Anne Elser
6 sessions, weekly on Wednesdays, Sept 16-Oct 21 • 6-8:30pm • Fee: $140

Thursday, December 3:
No special art events today.

Friday, December 4:
No special art events today.

Saturday, December 5:
Opening Reception: Winter Solstice Exhibition by Shadowline Artist Group
2pm to 5pm in The Limelight Gallery.

Sunday, December 6:

Children’s Holiday Workshop Ages 5-10 with Rebecca Nagel
12-4:30pm • Fee: $95 • Sign up now!


Please note: Classes on this schedule are in our Atlanta store unless otherwise indicated. For more information please email or call Eli Pelizza at 404.237.6331 ext. 203.


Check out the full list of our upcoming art classes and art workshops!


EXHIBITS AT THE LIMELIGHT GALLERY

Opening Reception for
Winter Solstice Exhibition by Shadowline Artist Group is on Sun., Dec. 5 from 2pm to 5pm. Mix and mingle with members of the Shadowline Artist Group, a coterie of Atlanta-area visual artists. Show runs through December 30.

Visit the BINDERS website at www.bindersart.com!