Silicate Paint
Silicate paint is a mineral coating that uses potassium silicate, also known as waterglass, as its binder. It chemically bonds with compatible mineral surfaces and dries to a breathable, matte finish.
Painter
Abraham Joel Tobias
Abraham Joel Tobias was an American painter, muralist, and educator known for experiments with durable materials, including ethyl silicate paint for outdoor murals.
Related: David Alfaro Siqueiros · Frank Stella
Abraham Joel Tobias quick facts
Review key details about Abraham Joel Tobias's career, mural practice, public commissions, material experiments, and documented use of ethyl silicate paint outdoors.
| Lived | 1913–1996 |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Paint media | Ethyl silicate paint · Oil paint |
| Other materials | Terrazzo, mosaic, plastics, plywood, and metal |
| Common work | Public murals, shaped paintings, institutional commissions, and experiments with durable architectural materials |
| Known for | Pioneering shaped canvases and breaking new ground with ethyl silicate paint as a permanent outdoor-mural medium |
Sources: Smithsonian Archives of American Art biography and Smithsonian: Sky Formation.
Paint types used
See the paint types documented in Tobias's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining each medium's properties, uses, and working characteristics.
Oil Paint
Oil paint is a slow-drying paint made with pigment and a drying oil binder. It is widely used for artwork because it blends smoothly and develops rich color.
Surface types used
See the surface types documented in Tobias's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining how each support behaves and is prepared for painting.
Canvas
Canvas is a woven fabric used as a flexible support for painting. Artist canvas is commonly made from cotton or linen and sold either raw or coated with a ground layer.
Plywood
Plywood is an engineered wood panel made by bonding thin veneer layers with alternating grain directions. Its faces, cut edges, and filled areas absorb paint differently.
Metal
Metal surfaces are hard and nonporous, but their behavior varies by material. Steel and iron can rust, while aluminum forms an oxide layer.