I was at Swansea Print Workshop this afternoon and I started working on a small circular Gelli-plate, laying down the first colour, which is Process Yellow, an intense lemon. I’m using Caligo Safe Wash Relief ink mixed 50:50 with Extender to increase translucency and the texture is created with a net that lemons were sold in. There are a couple more layers in different colours to come.
I’ve hit a creative block! It happens. I’ve found that a useful way to deal with it is to do some technical exercises in my sketchbooks until I’m unblocked. I was having a bit of a reminisce and remembered going to see Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party in London way back when. I can’t remember where it was, I remember it was a warehouse-type building and very dark inside. I think it was the early 80s. I was blown away by it! It was the first installation I had ever seen. Although I was skint, I bought the book and I still have it, all dog eared and yellowing.
I started flicking through it today and decided to start copying some of the plates using drawing pens (Faber Castell Pitt) and watercolours (Derwent Inktense blocks). The first is Hatshepsut, the great Egyptian Queen (1503-1482 BC). I’m not happy with the little sketch, but that’s ok, I will improve as I do more. I wonder how many I’ll do before the blockage shifts? Doesn’t matter, I’m enjoying revisiting the Dinner Party and reading about all those amazing women.
Here’s one from the archives for #StandingStoneSunday. I can’t remember when I did this, probably around 10 years ago. I marbled some paper in my studio, in tones of grey and took some of it with me when Husb and I visited the spectacular Pentre Ifan monument in Pembrokeshire. I drew onto it with blocks of graphite and solid carbon, which gave me two very different blacks. The graphite is a shiny, silvery black and the carbon a dense, matt black.
Here’s a screenprinted concertina booklet I made in 2018, 2 years BC (Before Covid) at a weekend workshop with the inspirational Kelly Stewart. I used motifs from my collaborative project with Dewi Bowen and Melvyn Williams, Hunting The Wild Megalith.
Kelly will be running another weekend of screenprinting at Swansea Print Workshop at the end of October. She’s a talented artist and superb teacher.
Another drawing from Tuesday’s televised life drawing session from the National Gallery in London, drawn from my settee. These two models held a 20 minute pose which wasn’t long enough for me to get the basics of both of them. The lower one is lying in an awkward position on the lap and it was really difficult to get the angle right in that timescale. Never mind, it was good practice trying. I drew with conte crayons in black, sanguine and white into a spiral bound, A3, light brown paper sketchbook which gives a great texture.
Another drawing from last night’s televised life drawing session from the National Gallery in London, drawn from my settee, I could happily do this more often. This model held a 14 minute pose and I drew with conte crayons in black, sanguine and white into a spiral bound, A3, brown paper sketchbook. Working onto a light brown background gave me an extra tone to work with.
The model was posing in front of a self-portrait by the 18th century French painter Elisabeth Louise Vigee Le Brun and was wearing clothes and sat in a pose similar to the artist.
Something new for me and Husb this evening, we joined in with a televised life drawing session from the National Gallery in London. It was great drawing from my settee, I could happily do this more often. This model held a 14 minute pose. I drew with conte crayons in black, sanguine and white into a spiral bound, A3, brown paper sketchbook.
I added some juicy colours to my 5 paintings of “Triples”, blocking in tangerine and green, and did some more linear work on their facial features, building them up gradually.
The idea came originally from the triple goddess of Celtic mythology, The Morrigan is one of her legends, but with a modern twist. I’m using Somerset paper (300 gsm, 56 x 76 cms) prepared with a coat of acrylic gesso. The paint is Liquitex Heavy Body acrylic and the brushes are Daler Rowney Gold Taklon.
It’s #StandingStoneSunday again and I’m posting an old favourite, Y Garreg Coch (The Red Stone) in Carmarthenshire.
Carrying on with my “Triples” paintings today, I’m trying to do a bit each day, working on all five. I’m painting onto large sheets of Somerset paper (300 gsm) with lovely deckled edges. I prepared the paper first with acrylic gesso to seal the surface and give it some extra strength. I’m not fussed about painting onto canvas, I love paper so much. I’m a bit obsessed by paper if I’m honest. I’m a proper paper geek. Today’s colours are Titanium White and Cadmium-Free Orange, both opaque. The Orange compelled me to do snaky bits.
My original idea was to base some work on the concept of the Celtic triple goddess or Trinity, but I didn’t want to get into mythological illustration, that’s been done to death, so I’m working intuitively, without sketches or photographs, or models. It’s a new way for me to approach my work and I’m right out of my comfort zone, but really enjoying it. The baby decided to be a ginger today.
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