A new series of figure studies in oil has been my focus over the past year. I joined an on line study plan New Masters Academy with a view to hone my technique. These models are from this course's resources. Painted on a uniform plain grey background made from a mix of yellow and red oxides + blue in an acrylic based primer. For me it's the perfect neutral to allow unaffected temperature fields within the figure hues and tones. These are resulting from an obsession with trying to nail a transparent looking skin colour in shadow, which is a challenge. Figurative oil painting has taken me down a more traditional academic technique study. Although it does not afford the thrill of the unexpected one experiences in watercolour painting it's something I wanted to have a go at. For the autodidact this seemed an inevitable arrow to add to one's quiver. Application in broader figurative narrative paintings may be left untouched however. I'm not interested in testing my capacity against the great past masters, but the study of oil painting technique certainly has the capacity to take one hostage for a lifetime, which I no longer have. Watercolour abstraction is calling.