The archive
Journal
Everything published on materials, colour, technique, art history, exhibitions, and conservation — newest first.
February 2026
How Rust Behaves in Richard Serra's Weathering Steel Sculptures
How rust behaves in Richard Serra's Cor-Ten steel sculptures. The chemistry of controlled oxidation, protective patina formation, and why some weathering steel fails.
Why Some Glaze Recipes Fail at Different Kiln Temperatures
Why ceramic glazes fail at wrong temperatures. The chemistry of eutectic melting, flux behavior, and how cone 6 glazes can't work at cone 10 or vice versa.
Artist-Run Galleries in Newcastle Worth Visiting Beyond London
Newcastle's artist-run galleries operate in post-industrial spaces along the Quayside and Ouseburn Valley. Northern art scene worth the journey from London.
How Calder's Mobiles Work: Kinetic Sculpture and Angular Momentum
How Calder's mobiles work through angular momentum, balance points, and air currents. The physics and engineering behind kinetic sculpture that actually moves.
Why Your Paintings Look Muddy and How to Fix Color Mixing Problems
Why paintings look muddy and how to fix color mixing problems. The science of chromatic neutralization, pigment transparency, and value control in mixing.
Small Galleries in Glasgow's Southside You've Never Heard Of
Glasgow's Southside galleries operate in converted warehouses and tenement flats beyond the city center tourist circuit. Artist-run spaces worth the journey.
Why Marble Carving Requires Understanding Crystal Structure
Why marble carving requires understanding crystal structure, grain orientation, and cleavage planes. The geology and materials science behind sculptural technique.
Natural Pigments and the Geology of Color Through History
How geological processes created the pigments that colored art history. From lapis lazuli mines in Afghanistan to ochre deposits shaping cave paintings.
Why Environmental Art Often Gets the Science Wrong
Why environmental art frequently misrepresents ecology, climate science, and biological systems. When good artistic intentions meet bad scientific understanding.
How Artists Use Interference Patterns and Wave Physics in Optical Art
How optical artists use interference patterns from wave physics to create visual effects. The science behind moiré patterns, diffraction, and perceptual illusions.
Andy Warhol's Banana and When Pop Art Became Music Packaging
Warhol's banana for Velvet Underground changed album covers from commercial packaging to fine art. How pop art infiltrated music industry design forever.
How Synesthesia Influenced Kandinsky's Abstract Paintings
Kandinsky's synesthesia made him see colors when hearing music. How this neurological condition shaped the first abstract paintings and color-music theories.