Michael Buchanan Studio

Blog

  • Watercolor Life Study Transformed into Oils

    I see that there is a direction. The direction is to first use watercolors and capture the moment. The images I create with watercolor can become studies or elaborate notan imagery for a more comprehensive oil painting. This happened with the watercolor below. It was rendered in the studio life study that the BCAC offers 2 times a month with a live model. Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolors used: Rose Madder Genuine, Scarlet Lake, Genuine Alizarin Crimson, Lemon Yellow, Raw Sienna, Burnt Umber, Viridian, Hooker’s Green, Cobalt Blue, and Antwerp Blue.

    Life Study
    Watercolor Life Study

    The next image is the result of using the above watercolor to broaden and reimagine it with the use of oil paints. This work can be done outside of the rigors of the group setting with time constraints and comfort levels lifted from the structured limits of a class. The artist is freed to explore a more open interpretation of the subject. Colors used with oils are Winsor & Newton’s Professional Artist oils: Permanent Rose, Cadmium Scarlet, Indian Red, Cadmium Lemon, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Winsor Green (Phthalo), Winsor Blue (Red Shade), Prussian Blue, Ivory Black, and Titanium White.

    Oil Figure
    Figure done in oil paints

  • Time to Put Away All the Toys

    I’ve been playing with multiple mediums on and off all the time. I think the time for experimentation is over. It has come to my attention and my internal clock that I really need to concentrate on oil painting. The new color idea of Permanent Mauve, Raw Sienna, Raw Umber (Green Shade) and Underpainting White is really cool, but my traditional French easle with the oil palette, Permanent Rose, Cadmium Scarlet, Indian Red, Cadmium Lemon, Cadmium Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Viridian, Winsor Blue (Red Shade), Prussian Blue, Ivory Black and Titanium White is the real deal. Plein aire, alla prima or studio layering is where it is at. I would and do use the mix of medium 1 part linseed oil, one part damar, 5 parts turpentine and a few drop of a cobalt siccative. In addition, an oil primed canvas preferably 12oz cotton duck with a good variety of hog hair bristle brushes are the methods used to make the paintings. These ideas are timeless and very traditional. It is time to make use of this as a habit and not just an off artistic remark.

    Time to put away all the toys.

  • John Sloan on Drawing and Painting

    John Sloan’s teaching book, “The Gist of Art” has been out of print for many years, but it changed my thinking on art and the creation of art. The edition that remains of the original is the 1977 edition called “John Sloan on Drawing and Painting” Printed by Dover Publications. I plan on re-reading its contents. I say re-read, because I own the first edition printed back in 1939. This copy has been invaluable in the remarks and teachings within. It has been years since I last read my copy and look forward to a rewarding experience all over again.

  • Just a Bit of Review

    Thought I would present a video I took many years ago. The beginning of this video shows the palette I use for oil painting. The only modification to the original palette was to replace Winsor Green (Blue Spectrum) with Viridian. My reason was that Winsor Green (Blue Spectrum) was too potent a color and dominated too much. Viridian is the same value of green, but with far less intensity and does not dominate as greatly. The rest of the video documents my attempt at completing a self-stretched canvas isolated with a coat of Rabbit Skin Glue and once dried primed with Winsor & Newton Oil Primer with Alkyd Resin as the binder. The pigment suspended in this mixture is Titanium Dioxide. I finished the surface with a coat of Cadmium Red Light Hue from Winsor & Newton Griffin Alkyd Resin. Thank you for your interest.

  • Grafix Incredible Art Board

    I’ve stretched Arches Natural White Watercolor Paper
    1/4 sheet (15″X11″) onto Grafix Incredible Art Board 24″x32″. Now the test of how effective it will be as a support for starting, working and finishing a watercolor piece. The real test will come when the paper needs to be removed. How easily will the gummed paper tape be lifted off the board without damaging either the watercolor piece or the board held fast by gummed paper tape.

  • Forget the Oil Emulsion Ground

    Make life as an artist easier and succeed in getting closer to archival quality. Use Winsor & Newton Oil Painting Primer. This ground has oil modified Alkyd resin/Titanium Dioxide as the ground on any surface I choose for oil painting. The ground must be sealed with (my preference) Rabbit Skin Glue on an absorbent surface.

    Why keep running an empty race of experimentation, when a clearly unobstructed path is visible.

  • Life Study Face

    Life Study Face
    Face done in life study session

    This life study was complete at BCAC (Broome County Arts Counsil) initially as Alla Prima, but after some thought the work was forwarded on towards completion in the studio. I really enjoy the bold colors. I was also very pleased that no pencil preparatory work was done to establish the beginning drawing for watercolor painting. Instead, the work was initiated and completed using watercolors with brush exclusively. The colors used are, Winsor and Newton Professional Watercolors, Scarlet Lake, Alizarin Crimson, Lemon Yellow, Raw Sienna, Cobalt Blue, Viridian, Hooker’s Green, Burnt Umber and Antwerp Blue. Please enjoy this work.

  • So Glad I Paint

    I am glad I paint because it gives me the strength to continue. That sounds so clique to my ears, but once the experience is over the reality of peace sets in. I worked on a watercolor portrait tonight that was started weeks ago in our Life Study at the BCAC (Broome County Arts Council). The piece was bold in color, bold in strokes with energy to boot. Too much energy. I wanted to tame it but not lose the energy. I believe I achieved my balance.

  • Having so Much on Your Mind

    I’ll just sort of detail what is going on in my creative mind. The current thoughts are to get my studio organized. The effort is to segregate the different mediums within the studio, so they have their own space. Some of the ideas that float around right now in my brain are. Watercolor work to be done Plein Aire and in life study at BCAC (Broome County Arts Counsel). This would be more oriented towards a better composition and draftsmanship for finish regarding city/outdoor landscapes. Another idea on my mind would be to expand Plein Aire oil painting or using a limited palette and non-toxic medium at the same life study. I also love to play around with charcoal in a very painterly fashion. All these directions are a means to the end of being a better artist.

    With the oil painting, I’ve got coming from Dick Blick some Winsor & Newton Winton Hog Hair brushes. They are all rounds ranging from #1 to #12. My reasoning for expanding the rounds, which aren’t the most popular for Plein Aire (Most would use filberts, brights or flats), are to meet the images in my mind’s eye. I’ve chosen rounds, because the images in my head present swirling or cross hatched underpaintings that are more like the swirling imagery Vincent Van Gogh completed in his short life. I would be channeling this representation though my own minds eye. The hope is to get to a truly creative process that has some newness to it, while still being faithful to the original image seen.

  • Oil Sketching with, “The New Oil Painting” by, Kimberly Brooks.

    I’ve gathered ideas as generated by Kimberly Brooks from, the book, “The New Oil Painting”. I’ve mixed the medium using 2:1 ratio of linseed oil to marble dust.

    My painting was semi dry to the touch. It is a good sign. My project with marble dust, linseed oil and Raw Umber should succeed.

    Tonight, I purchased a couple of brown medicine jars with droppers mounted in the caps. I took some of the medium and put it into the small 1.5 OZ. or 2 OZ. jars, so I can develop my Raw Umber mini-Plein Aire set-up that will be used at the BCAC (Broome County Arts Counsel) life study on the 1st and 3rd of each month. The big take away is that it is fully non-toxic and solvent free, which is a must in that environment.

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