Yesterday I posted about setting up to develop a linocut print while I was gallery-sitting at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. After I did an interim sketch from my original sketchbook drawing of a Neolithic standing stone, I transferred it (in reverse) to a piece of vinyl with a white conté crayon. I’m using vinylContinue reading “The First Cuts”
Tag Archives: Welsh artists
Starting From Scratch.
I spent last Saturday at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir, a fabulous artist-led artspace in the Rhondda Valley. The two artists who run the gallery, Chris and Gayle, are taking a well-deserved holiday and a rota of gallery artists are taking turns to keep the gallery open. I took a load of drawing and printmakingContinue reading “Starting From Scratch.”
The End Of The Experiment
So here’s the last stage of my experimenting with home-made printing ink based on Nori (seaweed) paste. Above is a block cut into vinyl, inked with a roller (brayer) and the print taken with a traditional Japanese bamboo baren. I used a Daler Rowney cartridge / drawing paper, 95gsm and had better results with theContinue reading “The End Of The Experiment”
Process, Process, Process.
Making art involves lots of processes, especially with something like printmaking. I made my own printing ink with Nori (seaweed) paste, ground mineral pigment, water and gin. But successful printmaking depends on so many different factors – the ink must be compatible with the printing block or plate and also with the paper. What makeContinue reading “Process, Process, Process.”
Seaweed And Gin
I have been experimenting with making a water-based printing ink, using a recipe from printmaker Shannon Yost published by Natural Earth Paint. There’s a comprehensive list of ingredients including Nori (seaweed) paste, powdered minerals and gin. The gin is for preserving the ink. Honest. 😀 Stage One completed. Tomorrow I’ll look at trying out differentContinue reading “Seaweed And Gin”
Mountain Memorial
Here’s another drawing I did en plein air up the Rhondda Valley last week. We stopped at a viewing place called Carn Eiddil and walked to the top of a pile of large rocks to look down the valley dropping away sharply beneath and there on the slope were loads of tiny memorials. They’re mostlyContinue reading “Mountain Memorial”
Walnuts And Gesso
This is the third drawing I did at Maen Ceti / Arthur’s Stone at Cefn Bryn on the Gower Peninsula this week. I used a piece of Fabriano paper that I had prepared with two coats of textured acrylic gesso. When it was dry, I sponged some of my home-made walnut ink over it. TheContinue reading “Walnuts And Gesso”
Stratification
I was at Cefn Bryn on the Gower Peninsula yesterday, drawing at Arthur’s Stone – Maen Ceti in Welsh. It’s a Neolithic burial chamber surrounded by cairns, truly an ancient landscape of the dead. It’s a very popular site and I’ve drawn it many times, so it’s hard to come up with a newContinue reading “Stratification”
Arthur’s Stone
Went hunting wild megaliths today, this time to Arthur’s Stone, Maen Ceti, a Bronze Age burial chamber on the Gower Peninsula. And now I’m tired ……….. Goodnight 😀
Up The Rhondda
Travelling on the A4233 up the Rhondda Valley between Maerdy and Aberdare, there are a lot of viewing stops that are great for a quick scribble. It was quick too, as we were high up and it was cold and windy as well as bright and sunny. I keep to a restricted pallette of black,Continue reading “Up The Rhondda”