Ribbons And Bells.

I’m carrying on cutting my practice piece, carving some bells and ribbons that will adorn the head of the Mari Lwyd. The bells are quite a challenge. I’m using Flexcut tools kept sharp with a Slip Strop into traditional grey hessian-backed lino. I drew directly onto the lino with a Faber Castell Pitt drawing pen,Continue reading “Ribbons And Bells.”

Blooded Myself…Again!

I’ve cut the little eye of the Mari Lwyd, a practice run for my next large-ish linocut. I’m using traditional grey, hessian-backed lino and Flexcut tools and a Slip Strop to keep them sharp. I blooded myself today! Still do it after all these years!

A Bit At A Time…

I’ve made a start on my next Mari Lwyd lino block, but instead of carving straight onto the full size block, I’m trying out different bits of the design on smaller lino blocks, to see how they work out. First up, is the Mari’s eyeball, quite a mischievous eye, but some find her quite sinister.

Transfer To Lino…

I traced my Mari Lwyd sketch onto tracing paper today, flipped it over and drew it onto my lino block, like we used to do with maps back in my schooldays, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. It’s a very basic outline, I’ve got to do some studies of the bells and ribbons, flowers and eyeballsContinue reading “Transfer To Lino…”

Ribbons And Bells: 1

I did a rough yesterday in monochrome washes of a new thing I’m working on which will eventually be a lino cut based on sketches of some of the Mari Lwyd / Hen Galan celebrations I’ve been to over the past few winters. I like the overall composition but it’s very rough, so I’m startingContinue reading “Ribbons And Bells: 1”

Starting Something New…

This is the first sketch, trying out an idea for a new linocut based on the Welsh Mari Lwyd tradition. I like the format, 21cms x 42cms, and I like this composition. I’ll probably try out a few more variations and I want to sharpen up some of the design stuff, like the ribbons andContinue reading “Starting Something New…”

The Art Of Independence.

I’ve got some of my recent screen and linocut prints into this new exhibition coming up at the Queen Street Gallery in Neath from this Saturday November 2nd until the end of the month. Artists from all over Wales are exhibiting. Please come and check it out. Neath has a really good indoor market too.

It’s Caturday Saturday

It’s Saturday Caturday and here’s Sparta Puss asleep on my Flexcut cutting tools. She wasn’t too impressed that I was getting on with some art stuff and not giving her enough attention (enough is never enough!) so she subverted me!

Graphite Not Messiness.

I’ve nearly finished cutting this little lino block and I want to check how it’s getting on, without inking it up. Instead, I used a graphite block and pieces of tissue paper and took rubbings of different bits of the lino. It gives me a pretty good idea of what else needs to be done,Continue reading “Graphite Not Messiness.”

Laid Out Ready …

I did some more cutting into my little lino block this afternoon. I laid it out on the bench hook before I began, with my smallest Flexcut gouge, the Flexcut Strop and Flexcut Gold Polishing Compound.