Lazy Nerd Explain: Decalcomania Art to gorący bałagan

Decalcomania is a French word that refers to the process of transferring pictures or designs from specially prepared paper to wood, metal, glass, or other materials. The word is derived from the French word "décalquer," which means to trace or copy, and "mania," which means madness.

How do you use decalcomania in a sentence?

Decalcomania is a technique used by artists to transfer designs from specially prepared paper to another surface, such as glass, wood, or metal. Here are some examples of how to use decalcomania in a sentence:

• She used a wide range of materials and methods, such as decalcomania, fumage, frottage, and collage.
• He also explored with the technique of decalcomania, which involves pressing paint between two surfaces.
• Decalcomania, a technique used by artists such as Max Ernst, can produce fractal-like patterns.

Decalcomania is an art technique that originated in the 18th century, developed by French-English engraver Simon François Ravenet. Initially, it was a method of transferring designs from specialty paper to pottery or glass, but it later evolved into a technique used by artists to create abstract patterns by transferring paint or ink from one surface to another.

In the early 20th century, decalcomania was adopted by the Surrealist movement, with artists like Óscar Domínguez and Max Ernst using the technique to create abstract and otherworldly landscapes and creatures. Surrealists were drawn to decalcomania because it allowed for the element of chance in their artwork, reflecting their interest in the subconscious and the unexpected.

To create a decalcomania artwork, an artist would apply thick paint or ink onto a surface such as paper or canvas, then cover it with another material like paper or aluminum foil while it was still wet. The covering would then be removed, revealing an abstract pattern that could be further embellished upon. This process allowed artists to create imagery by chance rather than through conscious control, which was central to the Surrealist movement.

Decalcomania can be used with various types of paint, including acrylic, oils, and watercolor. Here are some examples of decalcomania with different paint types:

1. Acrylic: There are several demonstrations and tutorials available that show how to use acrylic paint for decalcomania, such as this video by Peter Gric.
2. Oils: Max Ernst, a prominent Surrealist artist, used oil paint for his decalcomania artworks. A YouTube video demonstrates the use of oil paint with plastic wrap to create Max Ernst-style textures.
3. Watercolor: Although specific examples of famous watercolor decalcomania aren't readily available, watercolor can be used for this technique.

Overall, decalcomania can be adapted to various paint types, allowing artists to experiment with different mediums and create unique textures and patterns.

Decalcomania is usually associated with abstract art because it is often used to create random patterns that can be interpreted in different ways. The Surrealists used decalcomania to create imagery by chance rather than through conscious control. However, the technique can be used to create representational art as well.

To create representational art using decalcomania, the artist can use the patterns created by the transfer process as a starting point and then add details to create a recognizable image. For example, Surrealist artist Max Ernst used decalcomania to create textured landscapes and mythical creatures.

How long does it take for decalcomania paint to dry?

The drying time for decalcomania paint can vary depending on the thickness of the paint and the humidity of the room. When the humidity is high, the paint is exposed to a greater amount of water vapor, which affects drying not only of acrylic and latex paints but also of decalcomania paint 1 2 3. 

With more moisture in the air, it takes longer for the water in the paint to evaporate. This can cause the paint to dry more slowly and can also lead to surfactant leaching, which is brown or white discoloration on the surface of the paint 1. 

The thickness of the paint can also affect the drying time. Thicker paints have more pigment and binders, which take longer to evaporate, and therefore, take longer to dry 4.

Other surrealist techniques you can experiment with include frottage, automatic drawing, and collage.

Frottage

Frottage is a surrealist painting technique that involves laying a canvas prepared with a layer of oil paint over a textured object and then scraping it. The technique was developed by Max Ernst in drawings made from 1925.

Frottage is the French word for rubbing, and Ernst was inspired by an ancient wooden floor where the grain of the planks had been accentuated by many years of scrubbing.

The patterns of the graining suggested strange images to him, and he captured these by laying sheets of paper on the floor and then rubbing over them with a soft pencil. The results suggest mysterious forests peopled with bird-like creatures, and Ernst published a collection of these drawings in 1926 titled Histoire Naturelle (natural history).

Automatic Drawing

Automatic drawing is a method of art-making in which the artist suppresses conscious control over the making process, allowing the unconscious mind to have great sway.

Early 20th-century Dadaists, such as Hans Arp, made some use of this method through chance operations.

Surrealist artists, most notably André Masson, developed automatic drawing in his later work, particularly in his etchings and lithographic suites of the 1960s. In applying chance and accident to mark-making, drawing becomes to a large extent... surrealist.

Collage

The basic mechanism of collage is irrational juxtaposition. Or the bringing together of radically incompatible things. Foundational principles for Surrealism, and fundamental to the way dreams work.

Both Surrealist poets and artists used collage techniques. Like automatic writing, collage allows writers and... emphasizing the final image’s “reality” rather than the procedures and materials of its creation.

Salvador Dalí combined collage and oil paint in some of his early Surrealist works, and the Surrealists saw collage as a means to transform reality in unexpected and yet recognizable ways.