Drawings which informed the etchings

Having launched the blog with the finished etchings I thought it would be good to show where they came from. At the heart of my practice is drawing; all my work starts with drawing, I have to draw the image so that I can understand it before I make a print.

As you can see the drawings are very similar to the prints. I don't use any tracing paper but I do photocopy the drawings as a reverse image before I start to draw out the plates, it makes my head spin to try to work out a reverse image otherwise.

The drawings are made in the studio at home with the aid of many photographs, walking the route regularly so that a strong memory is formed, and by taking visual notes in sketchbooks.

It has been important with these drawings and prints that the scene presented is a true representation of place. When people local to the place see the work I would like there to be a feeling of familiarity.

The drawings are made with Derwent sketching water soluble pencils 2B - 8B, and water brushes on Fabriano paper. the paper is really strong and can take a good soaking without buckling. Using these materials helped to free up my drawing, and I was very pleased with some of the less controlled shapes which form the hedges, or the marks on the surface of the lane.