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Foreword

Primary Micropointillism is a fast, inexpensive and safe method with which to apply brilliant color to a surface. The process is a new medium still in its infancy - the potential of which is largely untapped and its possibilities virtually unlimited.
It is safe to say that the medium is so young that those of us who work with Primary Micropointillism have yet to realize its full potential. In order to execute a painting in the Micropoint manner, it is necessary to lay aside conventional and preconceived ideas of painting because this new medium is so different and its application so novel that thinking about painting in the conventional style tends to hamper the ability to grasp the essence of Primary Micropointillism.


Fine Art Professor
Karl Kumulski at
Wayne County
Community College
tries his hand
at Micropointillism.

In terms of color, Primary Micropointillism is so akin to what the Pointillists of the past century were trying to achieve, that I am sure they would approve of their offspring. Consider this; the light-receiving cones in the back of your eye merely take in the three radiative primary colors. All

secondary colors are mixed in the brain.
Does it not seem reasonable we should be able to consciously reverse the process?
Previously, coloring with paint has been a process of directly applying the pigment with one tool or another; this method demands that the user think subtractively in that the artist reduces the light output from the white surface by adding pigment.

In order to understand the foundation of Primary Micropointillism, I want you to think of a canvas made completely black by layers of yellow, red and Blue. You now approach the surface, and with your paintbrush you remove layers of primary color, thereby revealing the underlying colors. It would be accurate to say that painting within the this medium is the art of painting with light.

The time it takes to paint a picture within the parameters of the Micropoint technique is comparable to that of a conventional painting; once you have mastered the simple discipline of understanding primary color you can work at an astounding pace. As an example of this, I executed a 'wet block' Micropoint image - 5 X 7ft - in eight working hours.
On the other end of the scale you can spend several weeks executing a Micropoint image; it all depends on the habit and preference of the artist. Learning Micropointillism is not unlike riding a bicycle; one feels awkward and unused to sitting on the seat and the pedals feel unfamiliar underfoot. But once one pushes away and the cycle is rolling, the instinctive sense of balance and equilibrium sets in; thus, a rider maintains balance without conscious thought or effort.

The same is true when using Micropointillism; the awkwardness lies in the unfamiliarity of latent senses which, once mastered, releases the mind and allows for an unconscious flow of color which is both instinctive and satisfying to the artist.
Micropointillism uses only three color pigments; yellow, red and blue. In using these three colors, the artist can achieve the entire spectrum of color including all secondary colors.
Primary Micropointillism achieves color so brilliant that, side by side, paintings executed in conventional painting mediums pale in comparison. Added to this, Primary Micropointillism is inexpensive. One can create a full color image covering an area 8 X 6ft with 6Fl.Oz.(comparable to three small tubes) of paint. Water is the only solvent you need.
Primary Micropointillism is safe. The medium is waterbased and relatively free of dangerous chemicals. Imagery is achieved by a process of blocking the surface in stages and spattering paint in successive layers.
Between each of the colors the image is washed with water, thereby removing the water-soluble block and whatever excess paint which remains upon the block. The end result is a gradation of spatters in each of the three colors ranging from a scarcity to an excess of spatters.
The overlapping of three successive colors (yellow, red and blue) brings forth the illusion of secondary colors - such as browns, greens and violets.


| Top | History | Getting Started | Yellow | Washing Yellow | Red, Blue |
| Splashdown! | Mop-up, Notes | Links |