20:20 time!

I've been preparing my plate for the great 20:20 print exchange organised by the lovely people at Hot Bed Press.

This year I decided to try a slight variation on the sort of image I often make - I've gone for a more open view. Those who know my work well will hardly see any difference but, for me, it is moving forward.

I always start with sketches, drawn on location 10 mins walk from my village

First a quickie, then one to firm up some details and tone

The first etch, - hard ground line, allowed me to get a fairly accurate drawing

The next etch - open bite through thinned stop out, is all about tone....

Not bad, I've got some structure as well, but its going to need a softer use of tone to create distance and properly describe the foreground. I'll want some atmosphere too, a lot to ask of a small 10 x10cm plate, but a good chance to explore new ground.

Countryside sketchbook update

I've begun scanning and up loading some sketches from earlier this year, good memories of the weather turning warmer...

... a taste of 4 new sketches on the Countryside page.

Thank you RWA...

...for this fab photo on both their facebook and twitter pages which shows my print in the background.
Image can be seen @GemmaRWA

Other images are drawings by Debbie Locke and Fiona Robinson. The visitor is looking at a great etching by Ian Chamberlain.

Coast update

Lots more coastal sketches on my 'Sketchbook -Coast' page from Cornwall and a few from Pembrokeshire.

A taster...

RWA 163 Annual Open Exhbition

I was delighted to see my print 'Weathered and worn' on the walls of the 163 Annual Open Exhibition at the RWA in Bristol.

Its a treat to be part of this prestigious exhibition and to be hung in the print and drawing room, so beautifully put together by artist and writer Fiona Robinson.
I was felt very proud to be shown on the same wall space as the intriguing drawing machine work by Debbie Locke, below:

Debbie's piece is called 'Retracing steps', and my piece was set in Steps Lane, the selectors didn't kow this from my title but its a delicious co-incidence.

RWA 163 Annual Open Exhbition Opens October 4th - November 29th.

Royal West of England Academy, Queens Road, Bristol, BS81PX 
www.rwa.org.uk

Coasting

I've just had a wondefully relaxing break on the Greek island of Kefalonia. There was the opportunity for a little drawing

and time for lots of swimming and reading. There's a couple of my favourite sketches posted under the 'Sketchbook - Coast' page...

Etching - below the surface

The surface of one of the lanes I walk regularly has gone through some rough treatment this last year or so. There are loads more lumps, bumps, ruts, puddles and often rivulets of water to negotiate. (Even now in July!) The surface has been excavated in places, stones have appeared and channels have been eroded.

Fascinating drawing fodder. This sketch provided the impetus for the etching below.

'Surface layers' - etching 40 x 20 cm

The top half stays true to the sketch while the lower half of the plate allowed me to explore the whole notion of surface.

This close up shows a dramatic aquatint intervention which tries to convey the idea of lower layers under the surface becoming exposed.
Fun to move beyond the sketch.