Dragonfly gelli prints

A fun morning preparing some demonstration prints ready for next week's printing course. This time dragonflies .... I'll post a few pics of the process too....

Preparing stencils and foam printing blocks.

The plate in action.

The first pull.

The second layer .....

The prints ...

Using a wooden dragonfly that I'd bought...

More prints ...

Favourites ...one ....

Two....

and three. 

Collagraph course, Northern Fells

Our small group of artists in the Northern Fells had a great morning experimenting with collagraph! I was so busy that I didn't really have much time to take photos - and I ended by feeling I'd really like to go on one of my courses and have time to play! I did however manage to take some photos of this particular piece - which I think is fabulous! Time to find some 'me time' I think!

The collage...

The plate ....

The print ....

I loved this plate - which sadly, was nicer than the print - but a work of art in itself! 

...and this print too. 

Parton beach finds

With friends staying and a poor forecast, it was a walk out along the beach at Parton. It was a two marble day - marbles from codd bottles, with lots of bits of glass, pottery etc. A nice calamites pith cast was the highlight of the day.

High Cup Nick - a collagraph

On the way back down from High Cup Nick there was a lovely group of trees in a very typical limestone landscape. With simple curved lines in the landscape they make the ideal subject for a collagraph print. I've only printed in one colour as I'm trying to develop a few images for this week's collagraph course...I'll experiment with more colour when I have time.

The view...

Converting the image into grayscale and increasing the contrast simplifies the design....

The image is transferred in reverse and the surface of the mount board cut away...

Areas of sandpaper and carborundum powder were added....

The plate was sealed with aluminium foil (thin and sticky backed) ...

..and printed onto damp paper intaglio style.

Buttermere on a damp day

With high winds forecast at home a walk on the beach didn't seem the best of ideas and the winds were supposed to be significantly weaker at Buttermere, so round the lake it was .....breezy and 'fresh'. Damp so the camera wasn't out as much as I'd have liked and an odd light....good out be out though! 

Views.

Goosander and dipper.

Plenty of water running off the fells today...

The obligatory Herdie! 

Ardnave point collagraph, Islay

A rather short post, but here is the coloured version of my earlier collagraph with the source photo beneath it. I can't wait to get back there later this month - somehow I don't think there'll be quite such a blue sky, but it has to be one of my favourite walks! Click here for photographs of the printing block and process.

Derwent Water oil painting

Following our damp walk around Derwentwater last weekend click here I wanted to do an atmospheric oil painting ...the only problem ..there wasn't much to see! However, here's my interpretation of Castle Crag, which has just sold! Now to do another similar one!

The view....

The painting.