Intersection II Painting

I was born in Helsinki, Finland in 1949. I have photographed for decades and painted for 15 years now. During the last few years, I have developed my own version of the painting process and technique. I divide the process in three somewhat distinct parts. In the beginning there is the inspiration and idea of the painting. The paintings do not reflect the real world, and the inspiration itself is of abstract nature. There are colors (not exactly defined) and shapes, straight lined or curved but rarely both in the same painting. Gradually I create and visualize this very idea of the painting, the shapes, colors, and the composition. Flatness and absence of perspective are essential. Usually I have a quick idea, which I then develop further. The second part is to define the exact colors. I already have a rough idea of the colors, but now I study further to create colors which have just the right blend to suit to my idea. I use a laboratory milligram scale to develop exactly the correct blend of colors. Several measurements using slightly different blends are required until I have the exact color. Changing one color a bit often requires a slight change in the other colors as well. The use of scale gives me two benefits: I learn the behavior of colors better, and I can also repeat the exact blend if I need to. Lastly there is the painting work itself. Which type of brushes or knives to use, and which painting medium (I have my own mixtures)? Will the surface be smooth or rough? Will the brush strokes be visible or not? If brush strokes are visible, what is the direction or pattern of the strokes? Are the brush strokes similar all over the painting or are they different? Also the artist´s touch must be visible. I do not want to create a painting which looks like factory-made. I use only oil color because I feel that only oil gives me the possibilities I need. I am a slow painter: the painting process can take anything from three months to well over a year. As an artist or photographer I am self-taught, I am a member of Helsingin Taideyhdistys (Helsinki Art Society) and during the recent years I have participated in many Helsingin Taideyhdistys or Art Gallery exhibitions.