Chemistry of Art
Patricia Hill and Michael Henchman have provided workshops in the past with great success, attracting participants such as science faculty, art faculty, museum curators, conservators and education faculty, coming from colleges, high schools, and universities. The broad-ranging workshops provide participants with a perspective on the role of chemistry in diverse fields, crossing academic disciplines, but with strong foundations in inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry. The courses are grounded in laboratory experience, and include field trips to local museums and conservation science labs. Millersville University is conveniently situated for trips to facilities in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC.
| Sunday: | Linking Chemistry and Art in the Curriculum..
Participants explore and set personal workshop goals while getting an overview of workshop activities and resources available to them.
Lecture and lab activities focus on the importance of light and color in the study of art and art materials.
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| Monday: | Teaching Basic Chemistry Through Art Topics.
lectures focus on the materials of sculpture - stone, metal, concrete, clay, glass - as a way to introduce basic chemistry concepts to undergraduates.
Laboratory activities include studying the properties of metals,
redox reactions of metals, electrochemistry (electrolysis, electroplating, anodizing) and coloring (patination) of metals.
Participants will prepare and color borax glass, etch glass, enamel copper, and prepare a self-glazing, low-fire ceramic. |
| Tuesday: | Colorants.
The study of pigments, dyes and paint media includes experiments to synthesize dyes and pigments and then activities to analyze and utilize these coloring agents.
Lectures will explore how artists have used colorants over time, as well as what modern analytical
methods can be used to identify pigments and dyes in works of art and artifacts.
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| Wednesday: | Painting Media.
This day focuses on all types of paintings and paint media from both an art historical and scientific perspective.
Participants will prepare a small fresco painting, as well as prepare and compare the properties of oil paint, egg and caseine tempera,
acrylic paint, watercolor, India ink, crayons and pastels.
Participants will also study the characteristics of paper and other types of polymeric art materials.
Lectures will emphasize how paintings age and what can be done about it.
The topic of fakes and forgeries in the art world will also be addressed.
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| Thursday: | Optical Devices in Art.
the morning will be devoted to examination of how the use of optical devices have influenced artists and art throughout the centuries.
Lab activities will allow participants to use a camera obscura and camera lucida
and do some photochemistry including salted paper prints, cyanotypes, diazo blueprints. Conservation Case Studies. In the afternoon participants will be able to work with on-line resources that provide case studies in conservation science such as The Vineland Map and the Feast of the Gods. The day will conclude with a discussion of the development, pros and cons of travel courses in chemistry and art. |
| Friday: | Implementing a Chem & Art Course at your school.
Concrete recommendations for implementing workshop materials and activities will be discussed.
Participants will be encouraged to share what they plan to do when they return home.
A Workshop Evaluation Form will be completed by each participant.
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