Episode 21: The Materials of Art

Can art make you a better scientist? Can an understanding of materials science make you a better artist? We think so! So does Darryl Butt, dean of the College of Mines at the University of Utah. We interview him for this episode and discuss tons of interesting aspects of materials science and art. For example, he explains how ancient artists like Da Vinci had an understanding of atmospheric light and used it in their art. We also discuss how modern materials science characterization tools like microscopy, X-ray diffraction and more can be used to inspect art, determine its provenance, and even find out if a piece is a forgery! Dean Butt also explains how paint is made and explains some of the advantages of home made paint.

References:

https://www.sleek-mag.com/article/art-forgers/

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/art-crime/0/steps/11884

https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1003&context=eng_15

https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=eng_15

https://www.materialstoday.com/the-art-and-science-of-making-materials/

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Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing)

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