Category Archives: printmaking

Reinvention

I have some older monoprints that I kept from printmaking days that are basically unfinished. I believe I was playing around with various media to see what kinds of effects I could get. What with limited time these days, I’ve pulled them out and added some drawing, and/or a bit of watercolour to see what happens. I keep them on my desk and just sit and draw for a few minutes when I can. Below is one of two monoprints that I think were originally oil based. I added some charcoal drawing, plus a water colour wash here and there, and finally – for some reason – I added a little verse in the sky.

“As a river rushes to the sea, as the sun and moon glide across the mountains in the west, as days and nights, hours and moments flee, life flows away, inexorably” Padmasambhava, 8th century

Oil (I think) monoprint with charcoal drawing, watercolour wash, pen and ink

 

The Crow Book

Finally, our little children’s book is done. I worked with my author friend and former co-worker Kat Beaulieu on this project for the past, well, for quite a while. Just before Christmas, we put it on Amazon. Here’s the link: http://newest-stories-in-verse-childrens-books.aoiservices.com/hello-hello-said-craigellachie-crow. Kat has written another charming kids book and I get to illustrate this one too. Stay tuned. It’s about an opera loving starling…

Life has been pretty chaotic but I’ve managed to do a bit of artwork. During the Christmas break in 2015 I did a couple of monoprints. I recently pulled one of them off the wall and added some drawing.

“Alley near Main”, 22.5 cm x 30 cm, oil monoprint with charcoal drawing on paper

 

Fields

A few of the monoprints I did over Christmas were soft dreamy landscapes, not quite defined or finished. I added some charcoal and a bit of pastel to this one. It’s reminiscent of some wanderings over the Yorkshire countryside I did a few years back. There’s no sheep in it though. Perhaps they’re hiding behind the trees.

YorkshireField

“Yorkshire Field”, oil monoprint on paper, with charcoal and pastel, 12″ x 9″

New prints and a crow

Over the Christmas break I spent a few days down at Malaspina Printmakers. I only had a short time so I thought monoprinting might be the best thing to do. Of course I’m not totally happy with the prints – so what else is new – but it sure was nice to work at the studio again. Plus I met some new people who made my feeble printmaking efforts so much more enjoyable.

Today I took out the largest print and added some pastel and charcoal. Here it is:

Fairview Slopes-1_500px“Fairview Slopes 1″, Oil monoprint on paper w/charcoal & pastel, 17.5″ x 22.5”

AND, I finally finished the changes/revisions/redrawing  of the illustrations for the children’s book I’ve been working on since last year about this little guy:

Hopped to and fro_300px

His name is Craigellachie Crow. Not sure if/when the book will be available but if/when it is, you’ll find out about it here.