Abstract Oil Paintings 1997 is again a larger scale work and the gouged, scraped or peeled off marks are also in larger scale. As with Wald 3 versus the smaller abstract works, Abstract Painting shows how Richter’s technique is not made any less effective by increased scale. His techniques are tried, tested and versatile.

One of the most fascinating aspects of curating a show is learning more about how works are made - and curators at Tate are privileged to work alongside an amazing team of conservators. I have been talking with Rachel Barker, a painting conservator, about three of the ‘squeegee’ abstractions in the central room in the Richter show.

So, after the under-painting is determined ready Richter then covers it with thick oil paint, sometimes using wide headed brushes but more frequently with his squeegee. The squeegee usually comprises a length of flexible Perspex fitted with a wooden handle. The edge of the Perspex is used to etch, scrap or smear the paint across the surface of the work. In the film showing Richter painting we also see the artist distributing oil paint along the length of the squeegee and then applying it to the surface.

Richter’s assistants prepare his oil paint. The paint is purchased in huge cans. It is then strained through sections of muslin in order to further refine it, that is, de-clump it from pigment agglomerations. Multiple layers of paint are applied on top of the initial under-painting. As Richter often contemplates his under-painting for sometime it can be assumed that this paint layer is superficially dry by the time it comes to the ‘squeegee’ stage. Richter may also be using his knowledge of the different drying rates of different colours of oil paint to manipulate the drying characteristics of each layer of his painting.

Related reading:Oil Painting Reproduction  Discount Oil Paintings