They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. In my case I am finding that as I get older more reasons to try new methods of painting. For a long time I pooh-poohed new inventions in painting maintaining that the traditional methods were tried and tested and could not be improved on. This Luddite attitude is all very well but shutting the door to potentially original experiences is shutting the door on the future. Water mixable oils have been around for some time now and have gained a reputation for being just as good as oil paints, with the added benefits of being a lot less toxic. I was never certain they could be (a) necessarily better than oils or be any different to acrylics, an attitude I still maintain to a degree. However, I decided to have a crack at the water/oils to experiment and, like a beginner, keep my options open, make mistakes and see if anything innovative could be produced.

Portrait: Rosa

Stage 1

Never having done a portrait using this medium I proceeded on the basis of techniques I use for watercolour. i.e. Drawing first followed by an underwash. Big mistake, the careful drawing I produced was completely wiped out by the underwash! Undeterred I allowed the under wash to dry then drew out the face again using a pastel pencil. Bingo, it worked. I then blocked in using impasto

Stage 2

I found working the impasto altogether different to oils, more akin to gouache or acrylics. It was very dry and slightly sticky; not entirely unpleasant. It felt like I was working in pastels and the look was also reminiscent of that medium. The initial blocking in was done using large hogs hair bristles - filberts.

Stage 3

Once the main areas were covered it was time to concentrate on the details e.g. the eyes, nose and mouth. For these areas I used small round hogs hair numbers 2 and 4. I find it works if you keep to relatively large brushes so as not to fiddle too soon. The hair needs to be done with the dark tones painted thinly (using water) then the light tones more impasto done boldly, rapidly and with a light touch.

Stage 4

Rosa, Winsor & Newton Artisan and Royal Talens Cobra water-mixable oils on Saunders Waterford 300gsm HP surface, (32x29cm).

Finishing a portrait is fraught with difficulties because the smallest touch can make or break it. I have made numerous adjustments to the shape of the face, layers in the hair, the eyes and the mouth. It is so difficult not to lose the spontaneity at this point but perseverance pays off –sometimes!

Read more on water mixable oils from Paul in the August 2018 issue of The Artist