"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.




Wednesday 4 May 2011

Next Three Colours

Colour 3 is a pale tawny colour for the moorland on the distant hillside on the far side of the Colne Valley. Some areas of this colour will be left as highlights in the foreground grasses.


Next is a pale green for the lower slopes of the Wessenden Valley around the reservoir.


and then a darker tone of the earlier tawny colour.


Six colours down, probably another six to go. I start every print with the intention of trying to limit the number of colours used. I don't know how or where the figure came from but I seem to have got an ideal of 6 colours in my mind. Try as I might I can't get anywhere near this. Infact, with the last few prints I seem to be going the other way and using more colours not less! Does this matter though ? Is the number of colours used important ?

2 comments:

Jennifer Tetlow said...

From a viewer's point of view it confirms a mastery of sorts - incredulously I ask 'how did he do that'? Sometimes I'm tempted to carve something which I know will push skills and be an exercise in technique or use of material.

Stuart Brocklehurst said...

Hi Jennifer

I hadn't thought of it like that. You are looking at the prints and thinking 'how is he doing that.' I'm looking at them and thinking 'he's making that look like hard work!'
But you are right it is a challenge to make a print with so many colours and to keep the registration spot on for each colour.