Dunnock linocut

Following on from my Siskin linoprint, I have finally finished carving the first block of a Dunnock linocut.

Its about a5 size. And now I’ve carved it, I need to decide what to do next. I hear you cry, but didn’t you have a plan!? Well yes I had in mind what I thought I wanted this print to look like. But now I have printed the proof of this first layer, the black background again is very striking.

Proof on tissue paper , printed by hand

In my idea I would carve it out of the surrounding lino. But leaving it stark black and white with the inky blackness behind has an appeal. I found this with the siskin print, so left the block so I could print it like that as another option.

Any who, decisions to be made and my troble is I usually quite like all the options so find it hard to choose. I should do some sampling to help me decide, but that usually leads to me being distracted and not finishing original idea. Arrrgggh . These are all nice problems to have though, and this is just a nice place to write then down and have a think.

Putting things into the public domain makes me finish things more so than if I don’t share them , so thanks person reading this 😂

Block before being inked

GPCo-op International Print Exchange

“Gloucestershire Printmaking Cooperative was founded in 2005. It is the only printmaking facility of its kind in Gloucestershire and has extensive printmaking facilities at the studios at Giffin Mill, Stroud.Here are images from one of its many opportunities, the International Print Exchange, 2016,  with the Manhattan Graphics Center in New York.”

David Thomas “Five Fishes” 2014 Paperlitho silkcreen (Manhatttan Graphics Center )
David Thomas “Five Fishes” 2014 Paperlitho silkcreen (Manhatttan Graphics Center )

Liz Marraffino “My Cave of Dreams series 2″ 2015 etching (Manhatttan Graphics Center )
Liz Marraffino “My Cave of Dreams series 2″ 2015 etching (Manhatttan Graphics Center )

 

Fish and Chips’, Screenprint by Sophy Thomas (GPCoop)

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‘Musco viridi tinea’ by Cath Bloomfield

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‘Geranium Pratense’ drypoint by Alison Sloggett

Here are some of the prints from both sides of the ocean that took part in an exchange this year , the prints were shown in cirencester in march , and the prints from the gloucestershire will be shown in manhattan in June, sadly though cant quite afford to pop over the atlantic to atttend the private view!

A great range of prints , you can see more at the tumblr site i have set up here!

Januarys Best Bits…

Here we are again! Another month down on my sketch a day project.  January was a mixed bag of drawings. I started the month really energised, but that slowly trickled away till my sketch a day was happening in fits and starts, but I was happy with the earlier sketches from the month. which these are some .

Febuary so far has been very bird themed, I was inspired by a programme on the birds of paradise! So that will be next months 😉

Thanks for looking

 

Decembers Best Bits! sketch a day..

dec 2015.jpgI made December all about portraits as it is a people time of year. I did not sketch as many different people as I imagined , my husband was sketched quite a few times, but then he is in my life a lot so it makes sense looking back.

From focusing on portraits, it was easier to decide what to draw day to day, and it did help to make me feel more confident, having that practice. I was thinking more about how to draw what I was looking at, than what to draw in the first place.

So I think I would put a theme on another month, it was a help not a hinder.

Now into the new year and new Sketchbook !

good sketching to you

Novembers Best bits of Sketch a day

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It has been a busy and emotional kind of month. and I will admit that i have missed a few days (9 to be precise!) sketching  this month, and sometimes it has felt like a chore. (which is worrying as i have only been doing it 3 months and have another 9 month ahead of me!)

BUT , this month (December) it is my aim to be consistent and put more effort into my sketches, to get myself back on track .

I am going to try to gather some different materials to try drawing with , and maybe think about choosing a theme for this month, like just focus on people and portraits, as it is a family time of year for me.

As always thanks for looking and reading , and good luck in any projects you have going on!

( and you can find me on instagram and facebook )

Alchemy Exhibtion

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James Ferguson ,’Insight 1′, Etching

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Beth Jenkins, woodcut. Fran Christian, letterpress and collograph.

Wendy Rhodes, Etching and aquatint

 

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Here are some pictures from the Alchemy exhibition in Stroud that a piece of mine was in this April.

Members of the printmaking co-op I am part of, hung a lovely show with an eclectic mix of work from some talented printmakers .

any questions please ask!

Babe ABC table

 

We as a group had a good weekend at Babe, back at the start of April now!  We had a lot of people looking , had a few sales, showed a lot of books, and was great to look around at all the other stalls ( which I didn’t take pictures of as was quite busy)

and here are some bit blurry photos of our table!

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We had a lot of small books going on

have a good weekend !