Works in progress but nothing finished

This week has been a busy one of having lots of projects on the go, but with nothing completed to show for it. I have two linocuts in progress, one drawn out on the block and another part way through printing; done as an experiment to test my new registration jig.

I also started this acrylic on canvas. Shown here after about an hours work on the underpainting. Although work has stalled on this as I quite like it as it is and I'm not sure where to take it from this stage. I want to carry this freshness through to the finished painting without getting bogged down and overworking it. I'm just not sure how to do that at the moment. It may be time to turn it to the wall for a couple of weeks and forget about it, before coming back to it later.

Frenchlands Tower- Moffat, Annandale

Rising Moon Over Frenchlands Tower- Moffat, Annandale.
7 colour reduction linocut. 180mm x 270mm.
Edition of 3.

Midwinter in Dumfries and Galloway, the original sketch was drawn on a bitterly cold New Years day afternoon a couple of years ago.

For this print I wanted the first colour grading from blue to pale from the top down and blue to a pinkish colour from the bottom up. If I was clever enough this should have been done in one pass. However, not wanting to end up with a muddy mess I did it in two. Printing the top half first and then the bottom half. Even doing it this way wasn't entirely successful hence the rather small edition size.

This crumbling ruin stands on a small hill top overlooking the Annan Valley to the east of the town of Moffat.

Recent Sketches

Thought I'd post a couple of recent sketches as it's been a while since I posted any. This male Sparrowhawk turned up in the garden last thursday teatime and spent half an hour feeding in the shelter of the hedge at the bottom of the garden. When he finished he flew up into the Silver Birch, wiped his beak on the branch and was off. I collected some feathers from the pluckings but as yet I haven't identified the prey species.


Male Sparrowhawk feeding. Pencil, Watercolour and Pen and Ink.

Mistle Thrush. Pen and Ink.

This Mistle Thrush was singing this afternoon from the top of a tree across the road from the front garden. Having a bit of trouble balancing on such a spindly branch in a gusty breeze.

Short Eared Owl

Short-eared Owl.
Reduction linocut. 5 colours. 132mm x 180mm.
Edition of 7.

Managed to get this print finished and in the intended number of colours. The print is based on sketches made a few years ago on the moor near Grimwith Reservoir in Wharfedale. The bird was crouching half hidden in the long grasses on the edge of the heather moor.

New Website

I've added a link on the right to my website. This shows more of my artwork, with a few more pieces to be added once I've scanned them. Hope you enjoy looking at it.
http://sites.google.com/site/stuartbrocklehurstsite