Solo Exhibition of Paintings by Scott Hutchison

Fred Schnider Gallery

March 6th – April 24th, 2021

Call To Schedule and Appointment: 301.852.8042
Available Hours: Thurs – Sun, 12-7pm
Location: 888 N. Quincy St #102, Arlington VA 22203

Scott Hutchison’s paintings and drawings are comprised of overlapping figures stitched together in one
composition. His artwork is multifaceted, abstracted, and appears to be in motion – not just physically,
but psychologically as well – evoking the idea that our identity is also in flux. Though we are singular
beings, our psyche is not. We are molded in part by time and our life experiences.

The people in Scott’s work personify strength and frailty of consciousness and the depths to which we
experience the human condition. The figures are displaced, out of sync like ghosts or layered memories,
both timeless and self-aware.

Scott’s work can be seen as a journal entry, the manifestation of a deep concern for place and purpose
in this world. He reassigns faces and body parts through a mixture of trial and error, coupled with
random chance and the need to create something from nothing.  During this process, Scott is seeking
answers to a larger question: Who or what defines us as an individual? Are we here by accident, or is
there a greater purpose, or are we just a product of our culture and our experiences? His art is meant to
tug at the viewer and suggest that there may be more to this material world.  Each piece is intentionally
shrouded in mystery, letting the viewer interpret its multitude of meanings.

Art can be taught through a step by step technical process. However, the demonstration below is not a detailed tutorial on drawing the hands per se. It is a guide on how you might approach any subject. A window into my thought process while I draw.

Come join me, and good luck!

A Drawing Demonstration with Hands

Reference Image – Free download

————— Affiliate Links to Supplies I Used in the Demo

1) Faber Castel – 120 Color Pencil Set – https://amzn.to/35brD1V
2) Factis Retractile Eraser – https://amzn.to/3lg5llo
3) Kneaded Eraser – https://amzn.to/3eDqG5u
4) Fabriano Artistico 300 lb. Hot Press – https://amzn.to/2U4pAXc

October 8, – December 12, 2020

See the show online on Artsy

Painting the figure now will show quality paintings that investigate the many ways we see the human figure today; contemporary approaches to portraiture, narrative, and any and all visualizations focusing on the human form in life, action, play, work and repose. We are exhibiting artists who understand the finest traditions of figurative art. We believe the human form is an endlessly interesting subject with inexhaustible potential.

“There was a time when finding well-painted figurative works was difficult. There just wasn’t that much of it around. But that has changed. It seems there is an abundance of well-painted works at this time, as one sees them too often on Instagram and other social media platforms. In curating this show I looked for works that were not only technically excellent, but also captured my attention in a different way, and made me think beyond the represented figure. This might be political/social commentary, or it might be visually poetic, or intrigue with narrative or humor, or relate to painting’s grand history, or deliver a strong sense of what it is to be human. I wanted paintings that delivered a view of existence in today’s world. We are living in very difficult times and I expect artists to be saying more about our experience during this period than just reproducing a pretty face or a nice body.”   – F Scott Hess, guest curator

List of Artists

Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art

The Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art is a place where people from Northern Wisconsin can experience the work and ideas of artists – both living and deceased – to understand the historical, social and cultural context of the art  of our time. WMOCA integrates exhibitions, performances, collections, and educational programs to excite, challenge, and enlighten our visitors.

Our vision will inspire generations of north central Wisconsin residents and visitors from throughout the nation to understand and appreciate the art of our time. We are located in the historic Wausau Club at 309 McClellan Street in the very heart of Wausau’s vibrant downtown, featuring works by nationally & internationally established artists. Our goal is to unleash our region’s creative energy and to engage a broad and diverse audience in conversation about how art connects us, allowing us to grow and thrive as a community.

Contact

WMOCA
309 McClellan St
Wausau, WI 54403
715.298.4470

Free and open to the public
Tue-Sat: Noon – 5

Arlington Virginia Virtual Studio Tour

I am excited and honored to be a part of this year’s Arlington Visual Art Studio Tour [AVAST]. We are going virtual this year. Some of us will be on YouTube and others Live on Facebook! Peek into 40 creative spaces from the comfort of your home! The AVAST Tour is online this year, featuring a talented collection of Arlington artists. Get to know them, their art, and their creative process through a combination of YouTube videos and Facebook Live events. The schedule is below.

My Studio

Facebook Live Exhibition dates

Saturday, September 26

Facebook Live

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM    Jennifer Brewer Stone: Encouraging awe
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM  Scott Hutchison: Psychological movement
11:30 AM – 11:45 AM   Melanie Kehoss:  Origins of culture
12:15 PM – 12:30 PM  Rhys Conlon: Engaging rhythm
2:00 PM – 2:15 PM   Mary Jennings: Promoting growth
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM  E. Lynn Coates: Figures in nature
3:30 PM – 3:45 PM   Sarah Bentley:  Maintaining tradition

Sunday, September 27

Facebook Live

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM   Marsha Lederman: Experiments in clay
11:45 AM – 12:00 PM   Robbie Namy:  New ideas from Old Masters
12:30 PM – 12:45 PM   Scott Kaye:  Form following function
2:00 PM – 2:15 PM   Emily Fussner: Poetry in the periphery
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM  Claudia Olivos: Magical realism
3:30 PM – 3:45 PM   “Rain Check” in case of tech difficulties

YouTube Event Schedule

Wednesday, September 23

9:00 am YouTube Videos Go Live

David Carlson:  Abstraction influenced by meditations on consciousness
Deb Crerie:  Photography, technology and additive processes
Lucinda Esh:  Expanded home studio and abstract painting process
David Goldstein:  Artwork debut and a rare look into a private work area
Sue Grace:  Demonstration of large-scale figurative abstraction
Heike Gramckow:  Modern impressionist landscape paintings
Arlie Hammons:  Becoming an artist after traumatic brain injury
Anne Hancock: Paintings of personal narratives
Sarah Hardesty:  Recent work, inspiration, and process
Brie Hayden: Hyper-realistic drawings in a tiny workspace
David Jenkins:  Hand-cut original-design papercuttings
Bryan Jernigan:  Acrylic abstracts and Impressionistic pastel landscapes
Julie Jernigan:  Jewelry in sterling silver, pearls and semi-precious stones
Zofie King:  Mixed media assemblage, reminiscent of cabinets of curiosity
Stephanie Lane:  The space between the metaphysical and the physical
Barry Lindley:  Expressive realist landscapes from the mid-Atlantic
Viondette Lopez:  Connection through portraits and landscapes
Sharon Malley:  Narrative paintings of childhood memories
Ingrid Matuszewski:  “Loving life through painting”
Felecia Brice McFail:  Learn about calligraphy and the FOHTA Gallery
Nan Morrison:  Gestural, drip and action painting defined by bold color
Morgan Johnson Norwood:  Nature inspiration behind abstract paintings
Sandi Parker:  A home studio with a glam, fun vibe, “filled with things I love”
Jean Sausele-Knodt:  Mix-media wall mounted assemblages
Henrik Sundqvist:  Large scale layered prints and their basis in drawing
Sherry Trachtman:  Influences, materials, and origins of 3D assemblages
Andrea Uravitch:  Animal and plant sculptures and how they are constructed

Arlington Visual Art Studio Tours

The Arlington Visual Art Studio Tour (AVAST) is a self-guided free tour of artists in their studios held throughout Arlington County, Virginia in early autumn. This is a non-juried showcase for local artists to feature their work, processes and studio spaces, and for the community to experience the richness and diversity of visual arts to be found in Arlington County.

In 2020, our tour will go entirely online, with videos and Facebook Live events featuring artists in their studios.  This format not only helps our artists and visitors feel safe and secure, it also provides an opportunity to “visit” far more studios than would be feasible in-person.  Moreover, this virtual tour will showcase Arlington studios to art lovers around the country and the world!

The 2020 Tour will begin on Wednesday, September 23, 9 am, when 28 video studio visits premiere on You Tube.  The interactive portion of the tour takes place on Saturday, Sept 26, 10 am – 4 pm and and Sunday, Sept 27 11 am – 4 pm, when 12 more artists go live on Facebook.  Videos will also be available to watch after the event, but we encourage you to watch during the live sessions so you can comment and ask the artists questions!

A summer online juried exhibition

I am excited and honored to be a part of a summer online juried exhibition titled SHIFT at the McLean Project for the Arts. SHIFT was juried by Henry L. Thaggert and Sarah Tanguy, and focuses on works that address the concept of a shift, change, or exchange. The exhibition’s title is meant to be interpreted broadly. It’s a prompt that can be viewed literally, or subtly implied in the work chosen for the show.

Retracing Wonder

I’m excited that my painting titled Retracing Wonder has been included in Shift and will be represented along side such a wonderful list of artists below.

About Retracing Wonder: At some point during the process of painting Retracing Wonder, I made the decision to leave a good amount of the portrait incomplete. If you look closely, there are passageways that have been left flat and unrefined. There is a time within each painting that an artist asks him/herself if it’s finished. This question has to be asked outside the artist’s own preconceptions or ego. It’s not about the artist anymore. Retracing Wonder, with all its pencil marks, rough edges, and unrefined marks remains a perfectly incomplete portrait.

Exhibition dates

Due to the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, The McLean Project for the Arts will not have a physical exhibition or an opening reception. It will instead by fully virtual. Please join me during the MPA’s first ever online exhibition reception and Juror talk by Juried by Henry L. Thaggert and Sarah Tanguy.

Show Duration
July 15 – through August 27

Virtual Opening Reception
July 15, 7-8pm – RSVP Here

Virtual Artist/Juror Talk
July 23, 7-8:30pm RSVP Here

Jurors

Henry L. Thaggert is a collector and art patron in Washington, DC, where he is a corporate attorney for a Fortune 500 company. Mr. Thaggert has served on boards of several arts institutions including the Baltimore Museum of Art, the George Mason University’s School of the Arts, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, the Stamp Gallery at the University of Maryland, and the Millennium Arts Salon–an educational group focused on African-American art and culture. Mr. Thaggert currently co-chairs the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery Collector’s Circle.

Sarah Tanguy is an independent curator and arts writer based in Washington, DC. Over the years, Ms. Tanguy has been the curator of 12 collections and more than 250 exhibitions in the United States and abroad. In addition to numerous exhibition-related essays, she has written for The Washington Times, Sculpture, New Art Examiner, Glass, American Craft, Metalsmith, Urbanite, Hand Print Workshop International, Turning Points, Mid-Atlantic Country, Baltimore, and Readers Digest. From 2004 through 2019, Sarah was a curator at ART in Embassies, US Department of State.

McLean Project for the Arts

The McLean Project for the Arts exhibits the work of emerging and established artists from the mid-Atlantic region by promoting public awareness and understanding of the concepts of contemporary art. It offers instruction and education in the visual arts as well.

MPA@MCC | 1234 Ingleside Avenue, McLean, VA 22101
Gallery & Office Hours:

Tues – Sat: 10:00 am — 4:00 pm
Closed Sunday & Monday

Where Do I Go to See Figurative Art?

I sometimes feel that figurative artwork in the DC metro area is under represented. Perhaps this isn’t fair, and should be seen as a larger issue, and not just one of figurative art. All of the creative arts are vying for recognition here in DC. The competition with the museums is fierce. For example: Type in Gallery Guide DC into google right now (June 2020) and see what comes up first? The result is a bucket list from the Washingtonian of the TOP 10 MUSEUMS, not galleries in DC. For my money, the best place to find gallery openings and reviews of select art show in DC is not through the major newspapers or websites. I would go to EastCity Art instead. Check them out!

Do You Know any Figurative Painters in the DMV?

If you know a primarily figurative painter that has a studio in the DC metro area let me know in the comments below and I will consider adding it to this page. I am looking for figurative painters that excel in their artistic craft, play and experiment with the medium, and have a unique vision and personal style or vision. All the artists below are successful in their own right. I applaud them and their good work!

Alex Beck A Birthday Kiss – 24″ x 24″, Oil, wood panel Instagram

Zoe Charlton The Country A Wilderness Unsubdued, Graphite, Collage, Acrylic on Paper, 112″ x 55″, 2018 Artist Website

Gregory Ferrand Who Are We Now? – acrylic on canvas , 20″x 20″,2017 Artist Website

Nicole Ida Fossi “I’m Sorry that my Breakdown Came at an Inconvenient Time for You” Nicole Ida Fossi, oil on canvas, 40×40, 2018 Artist Website

Gavin Glakas Firelight Sonata – Oil on Linen, 30″ x 40″ Artist Website

Kyle Hackett After End, 2016. Oil on canvas, 72 x 50 in Artist Website

Michal Hunter Floating, 38″ x 60″, 2018. Artist Website

Scott Hutchison Armor – 25″ x 29″, Oil on Linen, 2020 Artist Website

David Ibata A Cold Gaze Forged In Fire – Oil on Canvas, 30” x 40”, 2020 Artist Website

Jada Logan “Ali boom bye yae” Oil on wood panel, 18 x 24 Instagram

Robert Liberace 5th Circle – oil on linen, 48″x 36″ Artist Website

BG Muhn Lover, Empress 013, 15.5 ” x  12.5 ” , acrylic and dog hair on DURA-LAR mounted on canvas Instagram

Leslie Nolan Orange Figure – 36″ x 60″ – Acrylic on Canvas Artist Website

Teresa Oaxaca The Sunset Limited, oil on canvas, 42×62″ Artist Website

Judith Peck The Dream it Can Be – 30″ x 24″, Oil on panel Artist Website

Matt Pinney Erinyes – Oil on Linen 84″ x 72″ Artist Website

Erik Sandberg Blossom, 2018 Artist Website

Martin Swift Rory – 48” X 60”, oil on canvas, 2018 Artist Wesbite

Dan Thompson John I, Oil on Linen, 18×24″, 2015 Artist Website

Joel Vincii “ET Bomaye” by Joel Vincii Instagram

Nicholas zimbro God Only Knows What I’d Be Without You, 18″ x 24″ oil on canvas 2020 Artist Website

Whether you use a glazing technique in your paintings, or alla prima, you might want to know if the pigments you use are opaque or not. This is where a list of transparent and opaque pigments can come in handy. I put together this list many years ago for my basic painting course at The Art League and at Georgetown University. Now I’m making it available for you to use. If you don’t see a pigment, let me know in the comments and I will add it to the list!

How did I come up with this list?

This list is based on Winsor Newton’s Artist’s oil paint list (Winton student grade list is here). As such, it relies on their qualifications and standards of what is opaque and what is transparent. With that said, judging whether a pigment is opaque or transparent is relative and will depend on a few factors unique to your own situation.

• Brand of pigments. Some pigments can appear wildly different from one brand to the next. Including their opacity. Professional vs student grade paints for example, have a slightly different chemical makeup, and this may effect the pigment’s coverage. More expensive brands may also have a higher pigment percentage than less expensive alternatives.

• Thickness of the paint applied. Thicker paint will naturally appear more opaque than thinner applications, or pigment mixed with medium.

• The type of brush you use: Some less expensive brushes sweep the paint away instead of softly laying the paint down. Bristle hair bushes for example, tend to brush through the paint film, and softer synthetic brushes and high quality sable will lay the paint down and allow it to cover uniformly, appearing less thin.

• The Support: If your support is rigid and smooth, the paint film sometimes goes on thinner and appears more transparent and scratchy . A rougher and more porous texture may require more paint and therefore appear less transparent. (The glass photo and video illustrates how the rigid surface really shows the mark)

The List of Transparent and Opaque Oil Pigments

This list below is based on Winsor Newton’s Artist’s oil paint list (Winton student grade list is here).

If you value the painting’s archival quality and if its longevity is your primary concern, then it is best to add a ground to your canvas. The ground is a protective and a structural layer that adds stability to the paint film, no matter if it’s oil or acrylic. Painting on unprimed canvas has archival and structural drawbacks that you should be aware of.

What is a ground?

A ground is the foundation of a painting. It adds rigidity to the support and a mechanical bond to help the subsequent layers of paint adhere to the surface. A ground acts as a barrier that helps protect the paint film from impurities in the canvas, and reflects light that passes through the paint film back to the viewer. In that way, a ground can significantly alter how colors are perceived. Two main types of grounds are:

1. Acrylic Gesso – Acrylic polymer mixed with Calcium carbonate (chalk) and a pigment (usually Titanium white)*
2. Oil Ground – Made from alkyd resin, titanium dioxide, and calcium carbonate *

*Acrylic gesso can be use as a ground for both acrylic and oil paintings, but oil ground can only be used under oil paint

What is the Structure of a Painting?

A painting is built in layers. My paintings are broken into seven layers similar to the following:

1. Support – ie, canvas, wood, aluminum, etc
2. Sizing – PVA sizing or rabbit skin glue – Sizing is not needed if you are applying acrylic Gesso
3. Ground – Acrylic Polymer Gesso or oil based
4. Drawing – Charcoal, Conte or graphite
5. Imprematur – Under painting in washes of Gamsol and Liquin
6. Layers of Paint – oil or acrylic
7. Varnish – A layer of resin that protects the painting from dirt and dust and evens out the painting’s final appearance.

To build a structurally sound painting, it is best to overlie more elastic and finer particles over a coarser and a less flexible surface. A ground brings strength and rigidity to the painting’s foundational layer and helps to resist cracking in the upper paint film layer. We have known for many many years how important a ground can be for oils. It adds strength and rigidity to the support as the oil becomes more brittle with age. Acrylic however, is very flexible. Perhaps then, it is safe to use on a flexible support like raw canvas? Unfortunately, no one knows because it has not stood the test of time.

The Ground Protects the Canvas

An artist’s canvas is woven fabric, most commonly made of cotton or linen (flax). What happens to the canvas, happens to the painting if there is no ground, or barrier between the painting and the canvas. Let’s have a look at a few ways the canvas can damage the painting as it ages and deteriorates with time.

1. Canvas fibers are organic and undergoes a process of oxidation as it ages, resulting in darkening and embrittlement. Linen is usually the stronger and more stable of the two, however, oxidation induced by high light exposure and ultraviolet radiation results in a color shift and darkening of the fibers of both cotton and linen.
2. Exposed raw canvas can collect dust, dirt, mold, mildew and grime on its surface. This is especially true in part, because of its proclivity to absorb moisture from the atmosphere. How to care for your paintings.
3. Stretcher Burn: I had never heard of this, but it makes sense that stains on a canvas can occur when the fabric comes into close or direct contact with a material (stretcher bars) that are undergoing their own degradation process. The acidic byproducts produced by the breakdown of the wood causes accelerated canvas degradation and result in a permanent browning of the canvas.

Both White and Clear Gesso Ground are available on Amazon.

The Ground Protects the Paint Film

It’s is well known that you MUST add a well made ground to canvas if you are painting in oils. High quality grounds will create a barrier between the painted surface and the canvas fibers and also help create a mechanical bond between the paint and the canvas. What happens if you paint on raw canvas? It will rot!

Oil paint should never come into direct contact with the fiber or the canvas will eventually rot, become weak, brittle and crumbly.

Page 290 – The Artists Handbook of Materials and Techniques, Ralph Mayer

When acrylics are painted directly onto raw canvas, the water content may draw impurities in the support and yellow or turn the paint medium brown over time. This is called Support Induced Discoloration (SID) I have found documentation from Liquitex and Golden that mentions this phenomenon and suggesting a primer will fix this issue.

Golden Paints

Support Induced Discoloration (SID) is a phenomenon that occurs in acrylic paints and mediums. Many common artist supports have impurities that can discolor a translucent acrylic gel layer or color glaze, and a size must be applied before gessoing to ensure the products stay clear as the films dry.

https://www.goldenpaints.com/

Liquitex

 It occurs with all acrylic mediums currently used by major fine art paint manufacturers. Washing the canvas before use can greatly decrease or eliminate SID. It’s not a problem if the mediums are mixed with paint or painted over. The amount of discoloration in the acrylic medium will vary

https://www.liquitex.com/row/faq/

UPDATE! – Four months later

The image below illustrates how the canvas will yellow if it’s not primed with a ground first. The photo was taken after 4 months after the blue pigment was applied. The yellow halo is the linseed oil. Not only has the canvas turned yellow, but the blue pigment is beginning to also be effected.

What Does it Look and Feel like to Paint on Raw canvas?

Oils:
Painting oils on raw canvas feels similar to painting watercolor on paper if you use a medium. The canvas absorbs the oil paint quickly, making it difficult to control and blend. As the oil is pulled into the fibers it will crawl to the back of the canvas and pool around the colors. I have also noticed that oil paint becomes firm quickly and appears cloudy or soft. This softening effect is due in part because the canvas soaks up the oils in the paint, and also because the rough texture of the canvas is more noticeable and softens the outer edges of all your brush marks.

Acrylics:
Painting acrylic on raw canvas is similar oils. But less dramatic. The canvas is not quite as absorbent. Careful with pooling of the pigment! It seems to dry unevenly – this is dependent on how much water you use – and if some parts of the canvas contains more water than the rest.

Use Clear Acrylic Gesso for a similar look to Raw Canvas!

Okay, I admit it! I have painted on raw canvas a number of times in both oil and acrylic. At the time, I liked working this way for aesthetic reasons primarily, but I also really liked working with the fabric’s texture, it’s raw un-primed color, and the way the pigment would stain and absorb into the surface. But these days, I would recommend using a clear gesso if you want a similar look and feel to raw canvas.

Famous Artists That Painted on Raw Canvas.

Morris Lewis
Francis Bacon
Sam Gilliam
Helen Frankenthaler
Kenneth Noland

Yes and No

Use graphite in the preparatory drawing before you paint. However, the amount you use and the paint body may impact whether the graphite shows through. I have taught painting for 20 years and seen countless student paintings (easily thousands) over that time that had no issues with paint coverage over graphite marks. But I would also add that I have experienced a few examples where the initial graphite drawing could be seen peeking through the final painting.

What Does The Internet Think?

I suppose my own experience reflects why there are so many different thoughts on whether you should use graphite or not. And if you do, should you treat it before you paint? Do a quick Google search regarding the use of graphite as your preparatory drawing and you will find the answers that vary. Some claim that oil paint covers the graphite and to think otherwise is an urban legend, and other search results show explicit examples of graphite bleeding through. My thoughts on that in a moment.

Should you seal your graphite with fixative?

I have read a lot of posts that suggests the need to fix your drawing before you paint. However – from my experience – I see this as unnecessary. ( Not only do I not recommend using fixative ( or hair spray ) on any drawing, spraying this onto your canvas may be adding a substance with questionable archival quality. ) I find that using a thin medium such as liquin in my initial imprematura under painting will automatically embed the graphite into the canvas in which you then paint over once it has dried.

Final Conclusion? Go Ahead and Use Graphite.

Back to the issue at hand. Will a graphite preparatory drawing bleed through your oil painting? I can only speak to my own process. I use graphite and have never once had an issue. This does not mean you won’t either. Of course not, however, I have some advice and and bits of advice and thoughts on what may be causing some people to experience graphite creep or bleed through.

1) Your paint film is too thin

I see this often with painters early on. (Trying to blend with very little paint – and instead they sweep the paint off the canvas)

2) Not enough consecutive layers of paint are applied to the substrate

All of my paintings are at least 3 layers over the under painting.

3) Graphite is too heavily applied

I sometimes shade my preparatory drawings in graphite. However, I am not pressing into the canvas very hard. If you do it may create a reflective and slippery barrier that will resist the oil paint. Hence, if you choose to use graphite, I would recommend pressing softly. Be careful, don’t use too much!

4) The amount of medium you use to thin the paint

I find liquin works well as an under painting medium. It locks in the graphite and it gets painted over in the next 3 layers.

5) The quality and opacity of the pigment you use

Less expensive student grade pigments have fillers in them and contain less pigment and may be less opaque as well. Also some pigments are naturally higher in oil content as well as some brands. This may also effect those that have a difficult time covering graphite.

6) Watch out if you use a grid to measure the proportions.

I find that the human eye can spot the pattern of the grid really easily. Be careful when you grid. Someone might be able to see it, and even if you paint thicker, it can sometimes be difficult to paint it out.

What are Some Alternatives to Graphite?

• Charcoal – Vine

A lot of artists use vine charcoal. It is a very powdery, easily erasable, soft and thin charcoal stick resulting from the burning of grape vines in a kiln without air.

• White Conte

A white and opaque chalk. It works well if you begin with a dark wash. It can be easily erased or washed off the surface of your canvas if you make a mistake. It will not effect your colors as they are applied on top.

• Silver Point

I have never used silverpoint as the under drawing. But I’m fairly certain it would work well! Especially if your substrate is rigid like wood or metal. Traditional silverpoint is made with a small fine rod of silver, such as jeweler’s wire, inserted into a wooden rod. When you draw, the line is created through the oxidation of the silver on the gessoed surface.

• Oil paint

You don’t have to do a drawing before you begin your painting. When I paint from life, I hardly do a drawing before I begin. Instead, I start right away and draw with paint. Using an Imprematura method of washes. Drawing is essentially done with oil paint.

The Colors You Choose is Personal

What colors you choose to put on your pallet will decide the fate of each painting and help you create the emotional effect you’re after. I offer you my current pallet recipe as a barometer. A guide if you will, in your own personal creative journey.

Even though my work is quite colorful, you may be surprised to know that I have always kept my list of pigments between 7 and 10. This forces me to mix almost every color I need, and in return, my colors are naturally harmonious. I find it strange when I see a pallet with 15 – 20 colors displayed like a rainbow across the surface. To me, it’s wasted paint and really not necessary.

The oil pigments on my pallet have changed often over the years. Some pigments fall out of favor with me like Yellow Ochre, Ivory Black and Cadmium Orange while other are discovered along the way; becoming necessary additions to my pallet such Phthalo Green ( Usually $17.00 for 150ml on Amazon) and Bright Red. (Usually $12.00 for 37ml on Amazon)

The reason why some colors fall to the wayside and others take their place is a conundrum. It happens so gradually over the years as I settle into a very personal and exploratory method with my art. Ask me in 2030 what colors I use, and I will likely give you a different answer, because my art is always changing. My artistic growth and timeline

High Chromatic colors

I like to start with saturated and high chromatic colors and dull-down from there. If the color starts off saturated, I can fine tune and mix it down to the desired color. The pigments I choose for my pallet cannot be mixed outright, but are very good mixers and have a “strong tinting power”. Meaning: If the color remains vibrant when you add white, it has “strong tinting power”. These strong and saturated colors can be used to create a myriad of secondary and tertiary colors.

My Top 10 Essential Pigments in 2020:

What, No Black?

You read that right. I don’t use black. Why not?

1) Black flattens out as it dries and is not very rich, or deep.
2) Black is mixable. Save your money.
3) Black out of the tube is more predictable and less interesting than a black you mix yourself.
4) Black should be used to grays down a color, not darken it. If this is the case, mix in a color’s compliment instead for more varied and interesting results.

Try combining pigments to make black instead. A few recipes below: (To test if your mixed black is a true black, take a little from your mixture and add a touch of white to see if it turns gray. If it does, then your black is good!)

Mixing Black Recipes:

• Burnt Umber + French Ultramarine Blue Best
• Phthalo Green + Alizarin Crimson
• Cadmium Yellow + Phthalo Blue + Permanent Rose
• Phthalo Blue + Burnt Sienna + Alizarin Crimson

Get to Know Your Colors

As mentioned above, Color Choice is Personal. So I would like to stress that there is no right or wrong colors you choose to put on your pallet. It really depends on what you are try to accomplish with your color choices. It’s more important that you mix and mix and mix colors so that you experience the way you pigments work. Don’t worry too much if you have purchased the right brand or grade of pigment. For example, the round image above titled ” Letting Go” was painted with both professional and student grade oil paints. It’s not the tools that make the artist.

Create a Color Chart

If you want to understand what your colors can do. I highly recommend creating a color chart. Not a color wheel. I find that color wheels have very limited use when you’re finished. However, a color chart can be used as a reference that you can come back to time and time again. Also, the mixing required to finish a color chart of 10 – 15 colors is an education in itself – like the example below from one of the Georgetown University painting courses – mixing colors for this project is very similar to real painting and inspire a clearer understanding of the relationships between pigments and their unique properties.

So I leave you with an assignment…

Color Chart Project – Assignment

My Assignment for you: Creating a color chart using the list of pigments above (or your own pigments from your art box). 

1) Lightly make a grid Similar to the chart above.
2) Leave space so you can label your colors in the same order running vertically and horizontally. 
3) Then mix and paint in the color in the corresponding box.* 

*Notice that the left side of the color chart is repeated on the lower half with the pure hue running diagonally down the middle? The difference between the top half and the lower is that the top half is painted opaquely and the bottom is transparent. (Thin the colors on the lower half with liquin or your preferred medium so the color on the lower half is more transparent.)

If you do this Assignment, send it my way, and with your permission, I will add it to this article!