CONTEMPORARY WATERCOLOR

Graham Dean

Marlene Dumas

Gerhard Richter

Peter Doig

Gottfried Salzmann, Paris: Pigalle la Nuite II, 1997

Christian Schoeler

Karen Kilimnick (Kilimnick works in water soluble oils)

Elizabeth Peyton

Annie Kevans

Cherry Hood

WATER MIXABLE OILS

Robert Hannaford in his studio
Water mixable oils are a relatively new invention, and even if many professional artists were skeptical about them at the beginning, they became increasingly popular. Like me, many artists discovered them because they were searching for paints easier to use, or with less toxicity. At Adelaide Central School of Art I found out the rules of safe painting. Conventional oils are not dangerous as long as you work in a ventilated space, and as long as you don't eat them, or you don't let them come into contact with your skin. Toxic solvent and turpentine can be avoided with success if you are preoccupied with your health. Unfortunately many artists don't follow the rules, and I have never given much importance myself to toxicity, till I found out with sadness that the great artist Robert Hannaford got severely ill. I had the chance to meet the artist, he encouraged me to paint portraits and advised me how to start selling. 

Robert Hannaford, Self-portrait, 1996

Alfie, how he was called by friends, had the bad habit to chew on his brushes while he was caught in painting.  Alfie broke the first rule of safe painting, to not eat in the studio, especially the brushes and paints. The self-portrait bellow, which was a finalist in the Dough Moran Prize, was born from this story. Alfie had to be fed with a tube in his stomach and when he was able to paint, he used disposable gloves. 

Robert Hannaford, Self Portrait with Tubes, Oil on Board, 80 cm x 64 cm, 2007


After Alfie's sad experience, I felt that I needed a change, so I decided I wanted to paint in acrylics, as beautifully as my professor Chris Orchard. He was painting only in acrylics and he told me that he never managed to paint in oils. I found this impossible, as I have painted in oils since I knew myself, as a small child. And if he couldn't paint in oils, the opposite was true for me. After so many years of painting in oils, my trial to paint in acrylics was a big failure. The acrylic was drying too fast, and I wasn't able to blend any colors on the canvas. The palette seemed to dry in minutes, and my inspiration was vanishing if I had to stop continuously to renew my palette with fresh paints. About paintings, what can I say, they looked unfinished, and the paint just refused to spread. Every time I ended up covering everything with oil, and a painting in acrylics became a painting in oils. After about two years of on and off acrylics, and after I asked Chris Orchard many questions, I succeeded finally to paint in acrylics.

Christopher Orchard, Air, Acrylic on Canvas, 124 X 135 CM, 2005


I was able to paint in numerous techniques, and my portraits in acrylics were mistaken for portraits in oil. For a while I painted only in acrylics, enjoying the advantages of clean and fast painting. After seven years of living in Australia, I finally was able to travel through Europe. All those magnificent masterpieces painted in oil revived my first love for oil. But now I was too used to acrylics and its advantages, so I wanted something else than conventional oils. I knew about water mixable oils from a visit to Deborah Trusson's studio, by the time when I was a student in Adelaide. This self-portrait bellow, painted in Artisan water mixable oils, was sitting on an easel in the center of her studio. Trusson had been shortlisted in the Archibald Prize with this work. 

Deborah Trusson, Naked, water soluble oils, shorlisted for Archibald Prize 2005

The Artisan chromatic is very limited comparing to the pure and brilliant colors in high series I was used to. But the water mixable oils can be mixed with conventional oils, so I continued using some of my special colors. Artisan seemed to not have quite the same coverage as the conventional oils, but in time, I got used to it. In the mean time I got back to conventional oils, but Artisan helped to make the transition.  


In general, water soluble oils are exactly like conventional oils, they look the same, and behave the same, as long as you don't use water for mixing or diluting the color. Water is used only for rinsing brushes while you work, and cleaning after painting. Artisan oils come with a few mediums plus linseed oil for diluting.

If you like experimenting, you can try water for diluting, you might get something which doesn't look like oil at all, but more like acrylics or watercolors, but be aware that the stability and durability of the paint might be affected in time when you break the rules. 
Because water mixable oils don't need toxic solvents for thinning and cleaning, they are easier and more convenient to use in class rooms, in shared spaces, around children, or healthier for sensitive people. That's why I recommend Artisan colors to my students in the class room. This is what the people from Winsor and Newton say about the Artisan colors: " Purely based on the high grade of raw materials, Artisan could be considered an artists' grade, however, the inclusions of hues and the shorter palette, means that Artisan can be in fact be considered somewhere between and artists' and students' grade". 

Here is the basic palette I recommend to my students:
titan white (titan has a better coverage than zinc white)
zinc white (better in some combinations)
cad yellow medium or light series II*
lemon yellow
yellow ochre
cad red light series II* (a bright orange)
cad red medium series II*
permanent alizarin crimson
french ultramarin
prussian blue
phthalo green
burnt sienna
burnt umber
ivory black 


*Buy series II and avoid "hues", which are not made of one pigment. When you combine two colors to obtain other colors, it's better to mix colors made of one pigment only. Mixing colors which are made of a combination of pigments can get you dark and dull colors. That's why professional colours are a better choice, especially for beginners. One pigment colors are easier to combine, and the results are more encouraging for beginners. 
When you buy colors, get two colors for each primary, a cold and a warm one. For example lemon yellow (cold) and cad yellow (warm), or prussian blue (cold) and ultramarin blue (warm). 
If you can afford buy more colors like:
zinc white (more transparent than titan white, good for mixing or transparent layers)
cad red dark seria II
magenta
viridian green
cerulean blue series II
sap green
cobalt blue
burnt sienna
Other water mixable oils are Holbein Aqua Duo and Grumbacher Max Artists Oil Colors, both for professional use. Holbein has a large range of colors, though Holbein Aqua Duo has the disadvantage of a higher price and some of the colors are not made of unique pigments. Artisan is though the most popular brand of water mixable oils in the world.  

JOAN MIRO

I wanted to see Miro's paintings in real life, and this summer I finally went to Miro Museum in Barcelona. From the first room I entered a marvelous world of magical shapes and colors and I was so taken, that I don't know when four hours passed. I wanted to observe the technique in some of his paintings, how he got that flawlessness and lightness. I was surprised to see that the artist wasn't actually preoccupied with the way the completed paintings looked. In some of the works, the paint barely touched the canvas, and the lightness came actually from the fact that the paint was applied sparingly, and the canvas was showing through the layer of paint. Some paintings looked unfinished, and in others the paint was applied carelessly, like something much more important preoccupied the artist's mind. The same in Picasso's museum. Many works seemed finished in a hurry, like the artist wanted to put on the canvas, as fast as he could what he was thinking. It is interesting how at the beginning of their career, many artists display extraordinary skills and technique, but later on, the only thing that seem to matter is the concept. What always startles me at a great artist is the continuous search. They never cease to search all their life, for their truth, like it is the only thing that matters. 

Blue I

Miró's paintings have a childlike quality, the objects and human beings are symbolically depicted and reduced to simple shapes. His paintings have also a dreamlike quality, they seem to come directly from the unconscious. Later on he experimented with found objects and unusual materials.  ' My characters have undergone the same process of simplification as the colors. Now that they have 

been simplified, they appear more human and alive than if they had been represented in all their details'.

Blue II

"I feel the need of attaining the maximum of intensity with the minimum of means. It is this which has led me to give my painting a character of even greater bareness."

"Throughout the time in which I am working on a canvas I can feel how I am beginning to love it, with that love which is born of slow comprehension."

"Miró's art has a poetic imagery: stars, fantastical creatures, playful distorted forms drawn in sharp lines and bright blue, yellow, red or green. They aim the receptor's soul and not his mind."

Blue III

Catalan Peasant with a Guitar

Dancer

Miró showed talent from a young age, though he had to study business and even worked as a clerk for two years. He had to suffer a nervous breakdown to finally be able to get his parents approval to study art. You can read more on his life and see more images here: http://joanmiro.com/

CULORILE ULEI SOLUBILE IN APA

This article translated in English: http://magdavacariu.blogspot.com/2011/08/water-mixable-oils.html

Robert Hannaford in atelierul sau

Uleiurile solubile in apa sunt o inventie relativ recenta, si desi au fost la inceput privite cu scepticism de multi artisti profesionisti, au devenit din ce in ce mai populare in toata lumea. Ca si mine, multi artisti le-au descoperit pentru ca erau in cautarea unor culori de ulei care sa fie mai usor de folosit, sau care sa nu necesite solventi toxici pentru curatare si diluare. La Adelaide Central School of Art am aflat regulile pictatului in siguranta in atelier. In general uleiurile nu sunt periculoase atat timp cat se lucreaza intr-un spatiu bine ventilat, si cat timp nu sunt ingerate, sau nu se lasa sa vina in contact cu pielea. Solventii toxici si terebentina, folosite de multi pictori pentru diluare si curatarea pensulelor, pot fi evitate cu succes cu un pic de vointa. Din pacate multi artisti nu respecta reguli extrem de simple si nici eu nu am dat mare importanta toxicitatii, pana intr-o zi cand am aflat cu mare tristete ca cel mai mare portretist realist australian - Robert Hannaford, s-a imbolnavit grav. Avusesem sansa sa-l cunosc pe marele artist, el ma incurajase sa ma apuc de portretistica si ma sfatuise cum sa incep sa vand. 

Robert Hannaford, Self-portrait, 1996

Alfie, cum il numesc prietenii, avea prostul obiceiul sa roada pensulele cand era in febra pictatului. Bietul Alfie a nesocotit regula numarul unu a pictatului in siguranta, si aceea, de a nu manca niciodata, sub nici un pretext culorile cu care pictezi. Mancatul e interzis in atelier, mai ales cel al pensulelor sau al culorilor. Alfie era convins si de faptul ca vaporii de terebentina au declansat boala, din pacate pana artistii nu se imbolnavesc, obisnuiesc sa rada despre regulile lucrului in siguranta in atelier. Din aceasta poveste, in care Alfie a suferit mult si a reusit cu greu sa supravietuiasca, s-a nascut un autoportret care a fost finalist pentru premiul Doug Moran, cel mai important premiu de portretistica in Australia. Alfie a fost hranit cateva luni cu un tub direct in burta, si cand s-a putut ridica din pat a pictat cu manusi chirurgicale. 

Robert Hannaford, Self Portrait with Tubes, Oil on Board, 80 cm x 64 cm, 2007


Dupa experienta nefasta a lui Alfie cu uleiurile, simteam ca am nevoie de o schimbare, asa ca am trecut la acrilic. Profesorul meu, Chris Orchard, picta numai in acrilic, si spunea ca nu a reusit niciodata sa picteze in ulei. Mie mi se parea imposibil, pentru ca pictam in ulei de cand ma stiam, copil fiind. Si daca el nu putea picta in ulei, opusul avea sa fie valabila pentru mine. Dupa atatia ani de pictat in ulei, incercarea de a picta in acrilic a fost soldata cu un mare esec. Se usca pur si simplu prea repede si nu apucam sa amestec nimic pe panza. Paleta parea sa se usuce in minute, mi se taia tot elanul, daca trebuia sa ma opresc mereu sa-mi refac paleta cu culori proaspete. La ulei imi aranjam o paleta dimineata si pana seara nu mai aveam nevoie de altceva decat de alb. De tablouri ce sa mai zic, aratau mereu neterminate, oricat lucram, si acrilicul pur si simplu refuza sa se intinda pe panza. Pana la urma renuntam de fiecare data si acopeream cu ulei. O pictura care ar fi trebuit sa fie in acrilic devenea o pictura in ulei, si frustrarea mea crestea. Dupa mai mult timp de numeroase incercari si experimentari, in care de multe ori eram tentata sa arunc paleta cu acrilice de pereti, si dupa ce l-am innebunit cu intrebarile pe Chris Orchard, am reusit in sfarsit sa ajung la anumite performante.

Christopher Orchard, Air, Acrylic on Canvas, 124 X 135 CM, 2005


Acrilicul nu mai avea secrete pentru mine, si puteam picta in nenumarate tehnici. Imi doream sa termin portretele la comanda foarte repede, asa ca alegeam acrilicul. Portretele mele realiste in acrilic ajunsesera sa fie confundate cu cele in ulei. Am pictat o perioada doar in acrilic, dar intoarcerea in Romania, mi-a dat in sfarsit si din nou sansa (dupa sapte ani de locuit la capatul lumii in paradisiaca insula a Australiei) sa colind prin marele muzee ale Europei. Toate acele capodopere magnifice pictate in ulei, mi-au reaprins dorul pentru prima mea dragoste, uleiul. Acum insa ma obisnuisem cu acrilicul si avantajele sale, voiam sa folosesc culori de ulei care se spala usor de pe pensule si sunt usor de folosit. Stiam de uleiurile solubile in apa de la o vizita in atelierului lui Deborah Trusson cu ani in urma, pe cand eram studenta.

Deborah Trusson, Naked, water soluble oils, shorlisted for Archibald Prize 2005

Trusson fusese finalista in faimosul premiu de portretistica australian Archibald, cu un autoportret pictat cu Artisan, uleiuri solubile in apa. O intrebasem pe profesoara mea de pictura de aceste uleiuri, dar ea s-a aratat sceptica, spunand ca sunt o inventie recenta, si nu stim cum se vor comporta in timp. Am renuntat atunci, dar acum in Romania fiind, era timpul sa le mai dau o sansa. Am descoperit ca in Romania au inceput sa comercializeze Artisan, marca folosita de Trusson. Paleta cromatica de la Artisan e foarte redusa si eu eram obisnuita cu nuante pure si stralucitoare in serii mari, dar am continuat sa folosesc mai putin sau mai mult din culorile mele mai deosebite. Intre timp m-am intors la uleiurile conventionale, si nu mai folosesc deloc Artisan, dar culorile Artisan m-au ajutat sa fac trecerea inapoi la uleiurile conventionale. 

In mare, uleiurile solubile in apa sunt la fel ca si uleiurile conventionale, arata la fel si se comporta la fel, singura diferenta este faptul ca pensulele se spala mai usor dupa lucru, sau se pot clati in apa in timpul lucrului. Se pot combina cu uleiurile conventionale in timpul lucrului, dar isi pierd proprietatile de uleiuri solubile in apa, comportandu-se la fel ca si cele conventionale. Daca doriti sa evitati diluantii, puteti lucra doar cu ulei de sofran sau mac, in diverse marci. Unii artisti experimenteaza cu uleiurile Artisan si le combina cu apa, dar rezultatele obtinute sunt mai degraba asemanatoare acuarelei sau acrilicului. Cand uleiurile solubile in apa sunt diluate cu apa, pigmentul pierde din intesitate si culorile nu mai au o acoperire buna. Daca totusi preferati apa pentru diluare, este bine sa o folositi cu mare zgarcenie. 

Pentru ca uleiurile solubile in apa sunt foarte usor de folosit, le recomand studentilor mei la clasa. La Galeria Creativ se gasesc culorile Artisan, sau puteti comanda pe http://www.colorit.ro/. Avantajul cel mai mare la clasa este ca pensulele pot fi clatite in apa in timpul lucrului, de aceea lucrul este mai curat si sunt mai usor de folosit in clasa decat culorile de ulei traditionale. Pensulele se spala foarte rapid si cu foarte mare usurinta doar cu apa si sapun,  In plus aceste culori nu necesita solventi toxici pentru diluare. 

Artisan sunt culori de ulei de studiu, dar prin pigmentii si consistenta lor sunt foarte apropiate de culorile de ulei profesionale. Iata ce spun cei de la Winsor and Newton despre aceste uleiuri: " Purely based on the high grade of raw materials, Artisan could be considered an artists' grade, however, the inclusions of hues and the shorter palette (colors available) means that Artisan can be in fact be considered somewhere between and artists' and students' grade and is therefore priced accordingly". Paleta Artisan include 40 de nuante, in timp ce paleta necesara pentru studiu include in jur de 15 culori. Gasiti paleta minima pe Materiale arta cursuri. 

Alte uleiuri solubile in apa sunt Holbein Aqua Duo, Grumbacher Max Artists Oil Colors si Lukas Berlin. Lukas Berlin este o optiune mai putin costisitoare decat Artisan, dar sunt si mai slab calitativ, neavand pigmentii autentici cadmiu, cobalt, ceruleum. Se gasesc si la noi tot pe colorit.