HOW I PAINT: Peter Graham
Artists & Illustrators|February 2022
This daring Glaswegian artist is a modern successor to the Scottish Colourists and here he shares his thoughts on bold brushwork, pigment choices, and knowing when to stop
Peter Graham
HOW I PAINT: Peter Graham

Born in Glasgow in 1959, Peter Graham studied at Glasgow School of Art under a number of high-profile and influential tutors including Barbara Rae. After a short career as a film editor at the BBC, he turned to painting full-time in 1986.

Peter was elected to the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 2001, serving as vice president for two years from 2004. He is also a member of the Paisley Art Institute. He wrote a book, An Introduction to Painting Still Life, which was published by David & Charles in 2002.

There are plenty of far-flung destinations in your paintings. Have the travel restrictions of the last two years changed your focus at all?

My range of subjects takes me to the south of France on a regular basis and then also the north of Scotland – the Western Isles is a big part of the work that I do. Then there’s Cambridge, London, New York.

All the UK work is continuing but the foreign work, that’s been put on hold and I’m not travelling to those countries at the moment. And then, of course, the studio work has become the centre of my universe. That’s been the progress. I always like to think of it as “progress” – you have to have a positive outlook.

What shape has that progress taken?

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 2022 من Artists & Illustrators.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة February 2022 من Artists & Illustrators.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من ARTISTS & ILLUSTRATORS مشاهدة الكل
Still life IN 3 HOURS
Artists & Illustrators

Still life IN 3 HOURS

Former BP Portrait Award runner-up FELICIA FORTE guides you through a simple, structured approach to painting alla prima that tackles dark, average and light colours in turn

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2022
Movement in composition
Artists & Illustrators

Movement in composition

Through an analysis of three masterworks, landscape painter and noted author MITCHELL ALBALA shows how you can animate landscape composition with movement

time-read
6 mins  |
March 2022
Shane Berkery
Artists & Illustrators

Shane Berkery

The Irish-Japanese artist talks to REBECCA BRADBURY about the innovative concepts and original colour combinations he brings to his figurative oil paintings from his Dublin garden studio

time-read
7 mins  |
March 2022
The Working Artist
Artists & Illustrators

The Working Artist

Something old, something new... Our columnist LAURA BOSWELL has expert advice for balancing fresh ideas with completing half-finished work

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2022
Washes AND GLAZES
Artists & Illustrators

Washes AND GLAZES

Art Academy’s ROB PEPPER introduces an in-depth guide to incorporating various techniques into your next masterpiece. Artwork by STAN MILLER, CHRIS ROBINSON and MICHELE ILLING

time-read
7 mins  |
March 2022
Hands
Artists & Illustrators

Hands

LAURA SMITH continues her new four-part series, which encourages you to draw elements of old master paintings, and this month’s focus is on capturing hands

time-read
7 mins  |
March 2022
Vincent van Gogh
Artists & Illustrators

Vincent van Gogh

To celebrate The Courtauld’s forthcoming landmark display of the troubled Dutch master’s self-portraits, STEVE PILL looks at the stories behind 10 of the most dramatic works on display

time-read
6 mins  |
March 2022
BRING THE drama
Artists & Illustrators

BRING THE drama

Join international watercolour maestro ALVARO CASTAGNET in London’s West End to paint a dramatic street scene

time-read
7 mins  |
March 2022
Serena Rowe
Artists & Illustrators

Serena Rowe

The Scottish painter tells STEVE PILL why time is precious, why emotional responses to colour are useful, and how she finds focus every day with the help of her studio wall

time-read
8 mins  |
March 2022
Bill Jacklin
Artists & Illustrators

Bill Jacklin

Chatting over Zoom as he recovers from appendicitis, the Royal Academician tells STEVE PILL about classic scrapes in New York and his recent experiments with illustration

time-read
8 mins  |
March 2022