canvas – Wacław Wantuch

Sizing the canvas

The canvas consists of fibres that do not like contact with oil. If the oil gets into the fabric, then – over the years – the canvas in that spot simply rots and begins to fall apart. Therefore, it is necessary to apply a new finish to the fabric, for – by decatising the store-bought […]

Armature

The armature is such an invisible spine for the clay sculpture, sometimes with crosses hanging on wires. Their role is to keep the clay where it needs to be. Do it wrong – and suddenly a cheek or a breast, thigh or buttock falls off because they had nothing to hold on to.To paint, you […]

In my paintings, I use paints prepared by hand according to old recipes of masters such as Rembrandt, da Vinci and Vermeer. Each pigment I use has its own story – sometimes I have to search for it in caves with geologists, other times I find it at mineral fairs from collectors. Sometimes I find them in art conservatories, and sometimes I get them online.
I thicken the linseed oil I use in the sun, using a 14th-century recipe. This gives my works depth and durability, which is very important to me.
Despite the availability of modern technologies, I prefer to mix pigments with linseed oil by hand because it gives me a sense of connection with the tradition of the masters and the opportunity to experiment with different techniques, expressing myself in painting in an authentic and unique way.