While working in a decorator’s supply store, McLean’s responsibilities included mixing paint using industrial tinting machines. During this process, he observed unexpected colour interactions and organic formations as pigments dispersed through neutral base paint. Before the cans were sealed and mechanically shaken, he began photographing these fleeting patterns. Though abstract in origin, the images often suggest recognisable forms- an effect known as pareidolia, the human tendency to perceive familiar shapes within randomness. The series comprises nearly 900 photographs, many titled early in their development, reflecting McLean’s ongoing engagement with themes of nature, landscape, and interpretation within his wider practice.
Titles followed by (CN)= Colour Name, of the paint that was mixed.