Michael Buchanan Studio

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  • 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.

  • Been Thinking

    I’ve been thinking of drawing with Raw Umber Artist Oil Paint. I am trying to visulize how to put on and thin the paint or get a consistency, where drawing is optimized, without the use of a solvent. I’ve read a medium that consists of 50/50 linseed oil and marble dust can be used. I intend to use this method at multiple sites, where solvents aren’t allowed. My biggest concern is to excellerate the drying time without nasty chemicals.

  • Not Every Concept Works Out

    So, my idea was to marry QoR Watercolors to a substrate primed with Golden Artist’s Absorbent Ground. The idea seemed simple enough, but during the last phase (applying the QoR Watercolors), the results seemed more like using Yupo paper. My desired working qualities would have been more like D’ Arch Watercolor CP or Rough. The Yupo like working qualities were unfortunate. Blooming and irregular glazes and washes were undesirable. In other words, the results were unpredictable, which is contrary to my imagined conclusion.

    I feel that at his time the best I can do is to reapply my talents with oils. I’ve found repeatable success with my ventures into oil paint.

  • Raw Umber Under Drawing

    The idea is to thin the oil paint, so that brush application can begin the painting. If possible use cross hatching and linear lines to express highlights and shadow on my subject. Build an excellent drawing. The finish with drawing is like a woodcut print. Medium used during life study would need to be solvent free and non-toxic. What I am currently experimenting with is 2 part linseed oil and one part marble dust. The key to success is if this medium is not overly smelly and if indeed the marble dust does excellerate the drying time. In addition is the surface overly oily. On a final note, the materials would need to have clean-up when arriving back home.

  • Shellac + Oil Paint = Inking Solution

    I wonder if it is possible to make my own inking solution using shellac and an oil paint such as Raw Umber? The ink made would become the under drawing for a finished oil painting.

  • Ground, Under Drawing then Painting

    Start with stretching 12 oz cotton duck onto 12″X16″ stretcher strips. Isolate the cotton duck with a coating of Rabbit Skin Glue. Apply an oil emulsion (Rabbit Skin Glue + Marble Dust + Linseed Oil) to the cotton duck. Let all dry for a minimum of 5 days. Start your drawing using Raw Umber oil paint mixed with a drying oil medium, such as Groves’ 19th Century Copol Varnish mixed 50/50 with turpentine or the Ralph Mayer drying oil medium (1 ounce Damar Varnish + 1 ounce Linseed Oil + 5 ounces of turpentine + 15 drops of Cobalt Siccative), thin to a light cream consistency and apply using a round brush. Let drawing dry for a few days and finish with normal painting techniques or adopt a more egg tempera method if the drying time does not interfere with the finished results.

  • Reaching Back to Go Forward

    I reach back in time to go forward. For example: I will be using vintage dip pens from a bygone era coupled with nibs from a bygone era. The education is to slow down, while still remaining free and still focused on detail.

  • Colored Ground

    Take both an emulsion ground or Absorbent Ground/Watercolor Ground and mix in a dry pigment to bring the end result to a colored ground without effecting the binder and the grounds working qualities. The results will be the same if left out, except the surface will now be toned. Example: Raw Umber as the dry pigment for portraiture or Cadmium Red Light for landscapes. The acrylic based grounds (for watercolor) have titanium white in them and will lighted/reduce intensity for the final-colored ground. The emulsion (for oil painting) will have marble dust and better retain the original dry pigment color/intensity.

  • QoR Semi Traditional Palette

    I’ve been contemplating transitioning my Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor Gum Arabic binder palette to the newer Aquasol binder with QoR Watercolors by Golden Artist. Those colors would be, Quinacridone Violet, Permanent Scarlet, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, Nickle Titanate, Raw Sienna (Natural), Burnt Umber (Natural), Viridian, Hooker’s Green, Cobalt Blue and Prussian Blue. These colors would be either an exact match to my current W&N Professional Watercolors or the equivalent.

  • Impasto

    The idea is to use Golden Artists Molding Paste. Form the dynamics of the impasto in white, then let dry. Prime the piece with W&N Oil Primer and work with normal consistency oil paints until done.

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