Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alison McLean Schuchs. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alison McLean, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

How did I teach myself to paint? I started off with a limited palette (also known as the Zorn palette), which consisted of the primary colors in Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Light, Ivory Black (as blue), and Titanium White. I made color charts and mixed the colors, exhausting every way they could be mixed as possible. I then had a visual book of colors I could refer to. I had already learned the importance of value with my sketching. I approached painting using different methods. Even today, depending on the painting, I might choose to go about it in a different way than usual. I started off using a grid by reading Lee Hammond’s book on drawing. I also learned how Andrew Loomis drew the human head and figure. Sometimes, I print out the portrait as the size of the canvas and paint “sight size.” I’m always using “comparative measuring” by judging distances and angles constantly as I paint (I could go into all these methods in detail but ask that you just Google them if you are interested). My current method of painting is to paint a rough outline of the image and place it in the canvas with the understanding that some of it will be wrong, then (usually) start with the left eye and work my way out from there. The eyes to me are the most important part of the portrait, so if I can get that right I feel success in continuing the rest, whereas some people prefer to save them for the end. There are a few times I did an underpainting, which entails drawing with thinned paint in usually one color but working on the image to get the values and drawing correct. I don’t do this very often as I tend to use pinks and reds in my work. Those are often transparent and I want the white of the canvas to show through to keep them vivid instead of dulling them with a brown underpainting, but every painting is different. I determine the colors I currently use by the photo or live model, sometimes adding a color I rarely ever use. My palette now consists mostly of Permanent Madder Deep, Gold Ochre, Ultramarine Blue, Ivory Black, Burnt Umber and Raw Umber.

I read books from cover to cover and go back and reread them as my brain digests the information and puts it into practice. One of my favorite books is Lessons in Classical Painting by Juliette Aristides, Drawing the Head & Hands by Andrew Loomis, and Color and Light by James Gurney. I have watched videos from my favorite artists including Cesar Santos, Daniel Graves, Tina Garrett, and a multitude of others. I have painted many master copies of paintings by John Singer Sargent and one of my favorite Scottish artists: Sir Henry Raeburn. I also paint from a live model once a week.

Alison McLean, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a Scottish born Portrait Artist now living in South Texas. I am a self-taught artist painting in oil using traditional methods. It wasn’t until I was in my forties that I took an interest in portraits. The artist of the family, my daughter who took art in college, passed away seven years prior. Looking back, I think that subconsciously I took up art to feel connected to her in some way and to help me through the grieving process. I began my journey by reading How to Draw Lifelike Portraits from Photographs by Lee Hammond. For two years I simply sketched portraits. I would post my portraits on a website called wetcanvas.com where other artists from all over the world would critique my work. I personally believe that you have to train your eyes to see as an artist, which made these critiques all the more important coming from seasoned artists. People began to ask me to draw their portrait for them, so I did, but soon I felt the need to give color a try. I received some oil paints for Christmas in 2010. I went back to wetcanvas.com and searched how to paint with oil paints. At the time, Youtube was starting to post videos on art as well, but nowhere near to the degree that they do now. Self-taught doesn’t mean what it used to now with so many aids available to us, as long as we have the patience and determination to teach ourselves. They say it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practice to achieve mastery of a skill. I, myself, had the luxury at the time to put in the hours that I would have put into college or working at a job and just painted all day as practice. Even today, I am still working towards mastery, as there is always room for improvement.

I started painting at a disadvantage due to the fact I have aphantasia. Aphantasia is the total inability to create mental imagery. I would love nothing more than to be able to imagine images before I paint them. Instead, I have to paint from life or photos that I take. The worst part of my aphantasia is that I can’t visualize my daughter’s face. I have to look at photos or videos if I want to see her. It goes so far that when I look at a model I’m painting and I’m mixing up the color I need, I have to see both the model and the color side by side at the same time to be able to tell if they match. In the short time it takes my eyes to move from the model to the palette, I’ve lost the color. It must be amazing to retain the color in your mind as you mix. Some artists are even able to burn an image of the model into their mind and then place it on the canvas, actually seeing where it goes and imagining how it will turn out.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I love to paint portraits. It is truly an honor to try and capture the soul of a person on canvas. Some people wonder if I worry about the fact that AI can produce such magnificent art, but I think humans will always want to create and will always appreciate handmade works. To receive a portrait from me is to be one person out of all 7.9 billion people in the world that meets me at a time on earth that cannot and will not be repeated, not to mention the fact that I was born in Dunoon, Scotland, and now live down in South Texas. Do you know what the probability of that meeting happening is? I am on a mission to freeze time, capture the essence of my subjects, and weave their fascinating stories onto a canvas for future generations. I paint vibrant windows into the past that celebrate the enchanting and intricate tapestry of the human experience. In this fast-paced world of digital dominance, I champion the mighty paintbrush and the art of portraiture, convinced that these traditional art forms can forge unbreakable bonds of shared humanity. With each playful stroke I aim to not only mirror the physical features of my subjects, but also to reveal their inner emotional landscape, their captivating personalities, and the rich depth of their life stories.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

For me, crafting a portrait is like going on a thrilling, personal adventure with my subjects. Be it individuals, families, or entire communities, I dive in with a heart full of curiosity and empathy, eager to hear the tales and unique perspectives of those I’m honored to immortalize on canvas. As our world continues to evolve and change, I believe that the power of art to connect us across time and distance will only become more and more important. I don’t see my job as work but a calling.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.AlisonSchuchs.com
• Instagram: schuchs
• Facebook: AlisonSchuchsArtist
• Youtube: AlisonSchuchsArt
• Other: TikTok – Aschuchs