December Walk

I've had quite a delay between posts because I lost the Browse button on my image upload page. Blogger posted that it would be fixed this week, but it still hasn't been fixed - frustrating! I have now tried the conversion to HTML to upload images, and then back to Compose to edit the blog and this has worked fine for me ... this time...

This is a post I began writing a fortnight ago...

A little late for a December posting, but the Altered book has just gone in the (royal mail) post and now I've got time to (blog) post.

December walk opening page

December walk - in the middle of the walk

December has been very wet in our neck of the woods, and has left some very deep marks on our landscape. An Artist friend, Zoe Heath, had recently demonstrated some lovely techniques at the school where I teach, and I have incorporated some into the textures she uses into this book.

December walk end page

The paths have been deeply rutted, wet rich soil has been been clinging to our boots, and the dog's feet. I needed richer textures and heavy marks which the monoprint and shellac combined were happy to provide.

My next book walk may need to respond to the forecast snow and ice.

Rainy charcoal challenges

The New Year brings the promise of new work and looking at things with a new eye, maybe!
The weather has certainly had its influence on the way I've been looking at my landscape. Everywhere is so wet, either flooded or standing in water. Paths and places that I am familiar with are turned into streams, and are changing their shape. The work over the next few weeks will have a different feel... I'll have to get my head, and my pencils/charcoal around drawing water, good to have a new challenge.

A softly trodden path through trees which had a dreamy look in summer has taken on a new sodden character over the last month.



 

Interesting how some images contain very neat compositions within them isn't it.

 

 

An interesting irony that charcoal - made by fire/intnse heat - can capture water.

Christmas Card 2012

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you who take the time to read this blog, your support is very encouraging.

'Tree 2012'
Etching with gold leaf

Happy Printing, Drawing and Blogging in 2013

2000 year old Limes

Last week BBC's Countryfile programme filmed a 'momentous event' , the coppicing of the 2000 year old Limes at Westonbirt Arboretum...

This process of cutting back the stems shooting from the original clump happens once every 20years or so; we now won't see the Limes in full growth for some time. Follow this Westonbirt link to find out more: www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-923CYM

Today I was able to go to the Arboretum and was amazed to see all the cut branches lying around the old stumps - what a dramatic sight/site! Unfortunately I didn't have my sketchbook, but sketched with my camera instead. The light was low and bright describing lines and angles in sharp relief.

Westonbirt are now looking for a sculptor to propose a sculpture to sit on this site using the cut branches, while the tree regrows. The open submission closes on 11th January, it's going to be fascinating to see how this space develops.

To see the Countryfile programmefollow this link : www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pdxsr

Pushing the possibilties - Burnishing

Pushing the possibilities of the little Hepworth plates just a bit further with aquatint...

...and scraping/burnishing

Its been great fun just seeing what I can get from these two images. There's a depth to them now, they're not so one dimensional, an there seems to be more movement; the images are a little truer to the spirit of the original sketches. How much further can they go?!

More from the Hepworth Etchings

The two little Hepworth inspired etchings had a lovely deep open bite to them which suggested the potential to take colour really well. I wasn't happy with the grey/lilac from the previous post about these plates, and have since experimented with some other colour schemes... not always worth blog space!

Here's the most successful...

and a flirtation with viscosity inking...

Its fun to have some plates to play around with, 'no pressure' plates.

A charcoal revelation

The lovely people at Pegasus Arts showed me this fantastic 'new' product - compressed charcoal made by Nitram.
I've given it a go and it works brilliantly. This is starting to sound like an advert, sorry, its not intended to be! I was just so taken with the revelatory performance that I felt it was right to share.

 

Its easy to work on a large scale, marks are quick to lay down and build up. the charcoal rubs out successfully with plastic and putty rubbers, and achieves a good range of marks and tones.

 



The best thing about this charcoal is the lack of dust and mess, even your hands stay relatively clean.
I also loved the fine points I was able to get and the way that the rubber could cut through the blacks.
The draw back is the cost - prepare yourselves, but it does last very well, I've barely touched the large stick.

 

Could this be the start of a series of charcoal drawings... I've got so many ideas on the go, I think I will have to stand back and take stock, and not try any more new products!