Printing The Plate

After preparing the plate with my image of a Mari Lwyd, I printed it on one of the smaller etching presses at Swansea Print Workshop. For this one I used a vintage paper, by J Green & Sons that was manufactured between 1969 and 1974, sourced from the Vintage Paper Co. I didn’t have to soakContinue reading “Printing The Plate”

Prepping The Plate

Working from my recent drawings of the Mari Lwyd, I developed some of them into monotypes. I used a piece of perspex (acrylic sheet) and litho / relief ink mixed with Extender (by Intaglio Printmaker). This was rollered very thinly onto the perspex and I drew into it with cotton buds, wooden skewers, scrim andContinue reading “Prepping The Plate”

Getting Ready

I’ve been popping down to Swansea Print Workshop since Xmas, experimenting with reductive monotypes based on my recent sketchbook drawings of the Mari Lwyd. As with most things, preparation is everything and here are some of my photos of getting ready. I’m trying out different papers to print on – Somerset, Bockingford, BFK Rives andContinue reading “Getting Ready”

A Slow Head

After drawing a Quick Nude (10 minutes) at last night’s life drawing session at Swansea Print Workshop, I settled down to do a portrait drawing for the remaining 50 minutes. I started with roughly blocking in some highlights with white conté crayon onto a piece of brown wrapping paper (about A2 size) then added someContinue reading “A Slow Head”

A Quick Nude

Just back from life drawing at Swansea Print Workshop. I went for a half session after the tea break and did a quick 10 minute drawing to start with. I used white, sanguine and black conté crayons onto brown wrapping paper. I started with some quick lines in white (left) then added sanguine (middle) andContinue reading “A Quick Nude”

Echo From The Past

This is the last drawing I did of The Mari Lwyd, Y Fari Lwyd, at Gellionen Chapel last Sunday. Sitting in the pew during the visit from Mari Ystrad (the Mari Lwyd from Ystradgynlais) gave me the time and space to do more detailed drawings than I was able to do a couple of weeksContinue reading “Echo From The Past”

A Thin Veil

Drawing the Mari Ystrad at Gellionen Chapel yesterday was a much more peaceful experience than drawing the Mari Trecopwr around the pubs of North Gower a couple of weeks ago and I had the chance to take my time, observe and record at leisure. I finally drew the full figure – the Mari’s skull atopContinue reading “A Thin Veil”

Singing In The Chapel!!!!

Anyone who knows Husb and me knows that we’re a pair of unrepentant godless heathen. And would be very surprised that we went to chapel today! A gorgeous Unitarian chapel up on Gellionen Mountain, completely deserted and shrouded in this morning’s thick fog. The lovely wood-lined interior was decorated with holly and ivy and thereContinue reading “Singing In The Chapel!!!!”

Ideas Forming

I recently did a short residency at the lovely Galerie Simpson in Swansea and experimented with developing three dimensional forms from paper, print and text. I started out by making some little maquettes to try out techniques and I’m starting to think about how I might use them. Husb hung an LED bulb into one ofContinue reading “Ideas Forming”

Recycled Sketchbook

I’ve had this handmade leather Steampunk style sketchbook for ages and used up all the paper a while ago. Its simple design meant that I could remove its innards and replace them with new (old) paper. I have loads of bits of paper left over from drawing or printmaking projects, some plain, some covered withContinue reading “Recycled Sketchbook”