Looking into the past

Melody - Kate Elizabeth Bunce 1895

Kate Bunce was an English painter and poet associated with the Arts & Crafts movement. Her earliest known work is The Sitting Room (1887), and in 1893 Bunce was one of the artists invited to contribute murals to hang in Birmingham Town Hall. Her work became increasingly influences by Burne-Jones, Rossetti and the Pre-Raphaelites, and was characterised by strong figure drawing and a clear use of colour. Later in her life she painted a series of decorative pices in churches, often alongside metalwork by her sister Myra Bunce.


^{This piece by Bunce, called Melody, is one of my favourites and is one of the references in the September portrait challenge in WetCanvas. I haven't had a lot of time to draw or paint this weekend but wanted to try a quick sketch to get a feel for the piece and see if I would be brave enough to tackle all that detail in oils later.}

Fish experiments

I like enhancing prints and see how they can transform. The same lines, same structure but each piece appears completely different depending on what I do with it.

So I used the linocut that I made the initial print with last night and started playing with some watercolours. The ink I use for printing is water based, so watercolours work well with it. The first piece if rather dark, in a sombre way, but still gives an impression of fish perhaps at a different time of day - dusk or dawn.

The second and third prints are straight watercolour onto Arches paper. The first is turquoise, the second geranium lake. I was using a block of Arches so it was difficult to get a strong print as pressure wasn't as even and a baren wasn't really required as it would be with ink. However, I like the pastel colours. They could be added to as well but for now I'm letting them stand on their own. I rather like how the watercolour pools and fades, giving a strong impression of water.

The prints are on 12 x 16 paper with the 7 x 5 piece centred. I envisage a border that would use the blank space as part of the image. I have had to scan these images or parts of them as it seems every camera in the house has dead batteries. It will have to wait til tomorrow then I can tinker with framing ideas.

Capelin print

I was sketching in bed last night...yes I know, but that's what I do sometimes...and these little fish appeared that I thought might translate well into a linoprint.

I haven't used lino for awhile as the pressure from the cutting tool onto the harder lino causes problems in a forefinger that I hurt years ago. I remedied this a little today by heating the piece of lino in the microwave for about 30 seconds. It smells strange, but does the trick to make the lino more pliable and easier to cut.

This is one of the first prints and let's me see what still needs to be adjusted in the drawing. I will also play with coloured printing inks and I want to see what happens with a print if I add watercolours. I still need more printing paper as well and need to do a little research on what works well. Finding a Japanese printing paper locally is pretty much a nonexistant possibility, so I'll need to add that to my list for when I next do a mail order. However, in the meantime, I will use some Stonehenge for the final print run of this.

The print is about 4.5 x 7.5 inches.

Feather

Sometimes words are superfluous and objects stand on their own. This is a pristine feather found in the garden from a Northern Flicker woodpecker.

Woodpecker photo credit Nature's Pics

Often they wake me in the morning by drumming on the side of the house. Not really popular at 5am, but still beautiful.

Otters

I've been fiddling with this sketch of some otters for the last week and it frustrates me. I don't know why I decided to go so loose with it as I like some more detail in animals. But I was pressed for time and pushed ahead anyway just to get it done where in fact,I should have abandoned it or started over.

I really need a piece to grab me to give it my full attention and do it justice. This just didn't do that for me. However, that's ok too. I never expect every piece to work out as I want it. Its all part of the process of creating.

This is on a half sheet of Stonehenge in coloured pencil.

Study of Roland

Of all the things that I draw, I enjoy people and animals the most. There is something so unique to each face, almost like sculpting on paper.

This sketch is a study for a painting that I will do, most likely still using a limited palette, as it suits itself so well to skin tones and limits my decision-making as well!

I did this quick sketch on brown paper with coloured pencils, very loose. I like studies and look at them as warm ups for the real thing. It gives me a better idea of what I'm trying to achieve in terms of the under drawing and I often use the studies as the basis for the painting and refer back to it often as a guide.

The head shape for this gentleman is different and looks a bit off in the drawing. In fact the back of the skull is rather flatter than usual and I may adjust that in the painting.

Roland is one of the choices for September's portrait challenge at WetCanvas. Its not as good as having a live model, but the next best thing when I just want a face to play with. I'm always looking for new faces, so if anyone wants to be immortalized, feel free to contact me!

White on black

I love the contrast of white and greys on black paper and this face appearing out of the shadows becomes sinister and appealing at the same time.

Like scratchboard, working light to dark takes a bit of thought as you're letting features form themselves. They become apparent only when you form the light around them, like negative space.

I'd forgotten I started this piece and don't recall the reference for it or when I did it. I think it was done with white charcoal or pastel perhaps. Maybe even coloured pencil. It was unearthed when I did a studio clear out last week. Its amazing what you find when you clean up!