Polyurethane Paint
Polyurethane paint is a resin-based coating that forms a tough and durable finish. Formulas range from clear wood finishes to pigmented industrial coatings.
Painter
Roy Thurston
Roy Thurston is an American artist known for pigmented acrylic polyurethane and silicone coatings on milled aluminum panels that shift with reflected light.
Roy Thurston quick facts
Thurston applies clear and pigmented industrial coatings to carefully milled and burnished aluminum surfaces that change color and depth with light.
| Born | 1949 · Huntington, New York, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died | — |
| Nationality | American |
| Movements | Southern California Light and Space (associated context) |
| Paint types | Pigmented acrylic polyurethane · colored silicone coatings (selected works) |
| Painting surfaces | Hand-milled aluminum panels · copper panels (selected works) |
| Painting methods | Hand milling metal panels, applying clear or colored polyurethane and silicone, combing textures, and burnishing reflective surfaces |
| Common subjects | Monochrome color fields, shifting light, reflectivity, optical depth, changing surface textures, and spatial perception |
| Other materials | Milled and occasionally concave metal forms; silicone used as a coating rather than a conventional artist acrylic |
| Notable works | 2001-8 (2001) · Untitled (2005-2) (2005) · 2016-1 (2016) |
Sources: LACMA: Untitled (2005-2), milled aluminum and acrylic polyurethane, Buffalo AKG: 2001-8, acrylic and polyurethane on aluminum, Pomona College Museum: pigmented polyurethane, silicone and light effects, Artist's studio: 2016-1, pink silicone on aluminum, LACMA: related Finish Fetish and Light and Space art, and Los Angeles Times: milled metal, combed coatings, concave panels.
Paint types used
Thurston selects clear acrylic polyurethane for its optical clarity and also uses pigmented and silicone coatings to shape light across raised panels.
Surface types used
Milled aluminum is Thurston's primary painted support, with selected copper works and concave metal forms altering reflections and perceived depth.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a lightweight, nonferrous metal that quickly forms a thin oxide layer when exposed to air. This layer protects the metal but changes how coatings bond.
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