"The artist...is also a born adventurer. His explorations, unlike those of a tourist, are rewarded by the discovery of beauty spots unmentioned in the guide books, and with tireless curiosity and an exceptional proneness to wonderment, he will come upon objects of remarkable interest overlooked or even shunned by more disciplined observers."

Augustus John, R.A.




Sunday 28 February 2010

Carr Naze and Filey Brigg


Carr Naze and Filey Brigg.
Reduction Linocut. 8 Colours. 270mm x 180mm.
Finally finished the Linocut that I started at the begining of the month. This is Filey Brigg on the East Coast of Yorkshire. For those readers not familar with the location, Carr Naze is the headland and the Brigg is the reef that points from it like a finger out into the North Sea. A mecca for birdwatchers and generations of children (myself included) who have spent happy holidays here sliding around on the rocks exploring the pools exposed at low tide.
It seems to have taken a long time with this one. Although I have been working on another at the same time, which should be ready to post towards the end of this week. I finished this one in 8 colours which is one more colour than I originally intended. I read somewhere recently that linocuts look better printed in only two or three colours. I'm not sure I agree entirely with this but maybe for the next print I'll have a go. Perhaps three colours and a final dark!
I have also been busy developing a website which is almost ready to go on-line. Watch this space.

Sunday 21 February 2010

6th Colour

Printed the 6th colour, a dark shadow tone for the rainwashed gullies on the headland. Just two colours to go now. A dark green and then a final dark to delineate the rocks on the shore.

Sunday 14 February 2010

First Green



I decided to print the first green on the linocut before putting down further shadows onto the headland. The cliffs in the foreground are formed from boulder clay, heavily eroded by rainfall gullies into wonderful abstract lines. Great for carving.



Its been something of a busy weekend. On Friday night we went to the Preview for the Ferens Open Exhibition at the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull. I have had a copy of my Malham Cove Linocut accepted for the exhibition, which runs from 13th February to 18th April. Admission is free to the gallery. So if you are in Hull have a look, there is a great cross section of contemporary art on display, by artists from across Yorkshire and the North of England. Further information can be found at www.hullcc.gov.uk

Yesterday we took a trip over to North Wales, to the Royal Cambrian Academy in Conwy. A quick stopover at Tesco's to pick up some bread gave this opportunity for a brief sketch of an adult Herring Gull perched on one of the carpark lights.





Thursday 11 February 2010

A little nearer the end


The fourth colour is now printed, but where to go next. Either the first green or another dark shadow colour onto the headland. I think probably the green to bring out the foreground before defining the rocks on the reef.

Sunday 7 February 2010

3rd Colour Printed



I started this print with a clear plan of how the final image would look. However, as work has progressed, I've revised the original concept of a stylised interpretation of the landscape. The next two colours should start to pull the image together.

Friday 5 February 2010

2nd Colour


Printed the 2nd colour on my next linocut. At this point the plan is to complete it in a total of 7 colours. I should get the next couple of colours down over the weekend.