Leonard Bocour, Visiting Artist Lecture 1967

Leonard Bocour talks about the history and ways in which oil pigments, paints and linseed oil is made. Bocour also talks about the reason for paint to be applied to canvas and why canvas is such a successful surface due to its ability to resist moist air and the ultra violet rays from the sun. Bocour gives a demonstration of how many different colors are created from different oil paint pigments. Bocour breaks down each pigment, explaining to the participants that the more coarse the particle is of the pigment, the better stains it has. Bocour illuminates to the participants the wide range of sources that have been used to create pigments, including but not limited too, Indian Madder, ivory tusks and bones of elephants, zinc oxide, and even the liquid created from burning petroleum. Bocour also reflects on the paintings of the old masters, indicating that one of the reasons why they have been so successful is because painters of the past would grind their pigments by hand. Bocour ends the lecture by telling participants to master their craft, because craft is the basis of art. If the participants become good craftsmen, art will follow.