double drop 3

I’ve spent the weekend at Trefeglwys Print Workshop exploring etching with Andrew Baldwin. One of the things I learnt was how to print a ‘double drop’ plate, where the plate is printed twice on the same piece of paper in different, complementary, colours. It’s not easy, you have to be very precise, but it’s worth it. Check out some of Andrew’s instructional videos on different forms of etching here…

 

On the left, inking up the etching plate with Vermilion ink. On the right, overprinting the orange print with Prussian Blue.

Proofing

I’m spending the weekend at the fabulous Trefeglwys Print Studio doing some etchings with master printmaker, Andrew Baldwin. I have been working on an aquatint today, on a zinc plate.

Here’s the first proof. It’s too dark so I tried thinning the ink with extender but it didn’t lighten it enough so I spent the last hour or so scraping areas of the plate to reduce the intensity of the aquatint. Tomorrow I’ll do another proof print to see if it works.

All About Eve…

Last night, Husb and I went to our local cinema to see a link up with National Theatre Live in London broadcasting a performance of the play All About Eve, directed by Ivo van Hove and starring the superlative Gillian Anderson, whose performance was outstanding. The whole cast were tremendous and the set design was brilliant. Of course I had a scribble. Just before the lights went down, the TV presenter Kirsty Wark did an introduction and there was just enough light to do a quick sketch of her looming above us.

all about eve

Not a flattering look for her though. The play is wonderful and it’s great to be able to see it locally without the expense of travelling to London.

 

Gouache And Black Paper

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Yesterday I visited a fabulous exhibition by Swansea-based artist, Tim Kelly at Volcano, and browsed through one of his sketchbooks which was made up of black paper. It looks like he used gouache and gel pens (although I may be wrong) and I really liked the effect. I happen to have had a black paper sketchbook, some gouache paints and a rather smart Winsor & Newton water pot knocking around for some years now that I haven’t used. So I had a bit of a play. And I like the way the paint went on the paper, the way it holds the brushstroke, the way the paint looks. I think I could get into some experimentation with this. It’s important to take some time out to experiment with new materials, I think.

“Could It Be Possible”

tim kelly 1

Husb and I dropped by Volcano on Swansea’s (infamous) High Street today to check out their new exhibition, “Could It Be Possible” by Tim Kelly, one of my favourite contemporary artists whose art practice is completely immersed in painting and drawing. I love his work, it’s vibrant, intuitive and accomplished. He also creates installations featuring drawings including the one above which has a large black-paper sketchbook full of the most sumptuous drawings in pen and gouache (I think).

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The exhibition runs until April 29th and it’s definitely worth taking a look if you’re in the city centre.

Flowing

Chris 6

 

Thinking and planning what to work on next. I want to develop a series of large woodcuts working with a retired female soldier and life model, so I’m looking back through my sketchbooks at the work I have already with her done over the past three years to get the creative juices flowing. I like working with older models, particularly women because we’re so often ‘disappeared’ in our youth-obsessed society.

 

Singing with Death

A terrific live art blog from the Swansea-based artist Patti McJones

 

via Singing with Death

En Plein Air

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There was an interesting demonstration in the city centre yesterday from Extinction Rebellion, raising awareness of climate change. Of course, I had to have a scribble en plein air. Not easy when everyone is moving a lot…

#Caturday!

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Some cats on a Saturday evening because it’s #Caturday!

Africa In Madeira

 

Madeira 2

Husb and I spent a few days in Madeira, an amazing place, and we went and explored the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens and Museum in Funchal, after a crazy ride up the mountain in a cable car swinging wildly in the wind.

Madeira 4

 

There’s a fabulous permanent exhibition, “African Passion” from sculptors from Zimbabwe in the 1960s.  I had a scribble with some conté crayons in white, sanguine and black onto grey tinted handmade paper. The two beautiful sculped heads that I drew are by Boira Mteki (1946-1991).

Madeira 3

 

It’s rare to be able to see so many, over 1,000, artworks from Africa from many artists, and the effect is extraordinary and the tropical gardens surrounding the museum are also spectacular.