Graeme Webb Art

Few local art organisations embody the spirit of community and artistic practice quite like the Blackheath Art Society. Founded in 1947 in the years following the Second World War, the Society has grown from a small collective of local artists into one of south east London’s most respected exhibiting organisations. 

Making your own oil paint is a process that creates a direct connection between artist and material. Beyond controlling consistency and colour strength, each paint becomes something uniquely crafted rather than simply bought. Whether using finely milled pigments from Jackson’s Art Supplies or earth collected from the banks of the River Thames and other locations, handmade paint combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary practice. Also see this Post.

In this memoir on her blog, Photographer and Artist Mish Aminoff recalls being six years old when her headmaster praised the seven-year-old girls as “the most beautiful girls in the world.” Feeling left out, young Misha changed her birth year in her school books so she could be seven too.

I have been researching how to add black marks, asemic writing, symbols etc over oil paint and coldwax. The following is what I have discovered so far, I have tested upto a point but need to let everything cure and dry out before I continue with the final finish. 

I have recently discovered that painting with cold wax and oil paint offers a uniquely contemplative creative experience. Unlike faster painting methods, the medium encourages a slower pace, inviting one to become fully immersed in the process rather than focusing solely on the finished result.

This post follows on from my earlier post. Some of these I have tried but Im still working through.One of the fun aspects of faux encaustic is creating your own “wax” i.e. tinted acrylic medium mixtures to use in layers. You can keep it simple (e.g. matte gel + a little yellow oxide paint), or craft more complex translucent colours. Here are a few recipes and formulas from experienced acrylic artists to achieve a convincing wax like effect:

In my ongoing exploration of chance aesthetics in creative practice I’ve been interested in how disruption and randomness can open up new directions, as it applies in this case to abstract painting. In my earlier article, Chance Aestheticsl in Art, (which I recommend reading before continuing with this one) I described chance as a way of interrupting intention,  a method of loosening control so that something unexpected could emerge. I’m not suggesting this process should be used continuously, just when there is a block in your work or you need to explore a new direction, form of composition, palette etc. The following is certainly not a definitive guide and I also need to work on it more to fully understand the implications for my work.

In 2017 Trevor Crone and myself published a handbound book and a limited edition lino print featuring London scenes using the ‘Impossible Project’ instant film and vintage Polaroid cameras. This article includes some images from this project ‘The London Sessions’ and a potted history of the Impossible Project and its evolution.

Quinacridone Magenta is a synthetic organic pigment widely used in artists  paints (acrylic, oil, watercolor, ink, and printing). It is known for its extremely vibrant, transparent magenta colour and excellent permanence.

As I complete Asemic writing projects in 2026 i'll add them to this page. See also A Rough Guide to Asemic writing.

A chemigram is an experimental piece of art where an image is made by painting with chemicals on light sensitive paper. The term Chemigram was coined in the 1950s by Belgian artist Pierre Cordier. Chemigrams are made without a camera or enlarger, instead artists work directly on light sensitive photographic paper, using substances like resists (varnish, wax, tape, syrup) and then applying developer and fixer in sequence or simultaneously.

Image by Patti Brady https://www.artistsnetwork.com/art-