Caught anything? Linocut printed in five colours on 350gsm Madrid White Litho in an edition of ten. Image area approximately 150mm x 150mm. £50.00
Another of the series of linocuts ‘On the skyline’ but on this occasion it’s a bit more like being ‘On the waterline’. I often see these strange, lumbering, prehistoric looking birds when I’m out pike fishing on the fen and I really do like to see them standing motionless and quietly fishing, always on the hunt for their next meal. Strangely cutting this block and the detail in it has clarified a project about fish that has been bouncing around in my head for months if not several years. It’s quite peculiar how sometimes working on one project becomes the catalyst that clarifies the way that you can treat and work with another series of prints. So, there’s more to come on that new subject once I get started cutting the first of a dozen or more blocks. Meanwhile back to the Heron in the winter fog, or, as the print is called ‘Caught anything?’. There isn’t a lot of skyline visible but it’s in there somewhere, there isn’t even a visible waterline.
My favourite avian professional John.
Face on he always looks like he’s wearing one of those 70’s ruffled tuxedo/dress shirts, but is otherwise quiet and sober in appearance. Unlike those flamboyant and always ducking and diving Kingfishers, etc. A Heron grounded or flying always makes my day in a way that the others don’t!
Look forward to seeing more in the series. I would suggest an Egret in fog, but that might be a bit of a challenge.
Martin
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Strangely enough I saw two egrets this morning while out with the terriers. There are more and more of them in West Norfolk. The series has been diverted a little but I’ll get it back on track. Stay safe. Best wishes, John
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This is a wonderful print – I always think they look like pterodactyls when they fly (and they terrify my ducks who run for cover when they pass overhead!). Is the paper graduated? It’s beautifully evocative 🙂
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Good morning Jen,
I hope you and your family are staying safe, fit and well. The paper is just plain white paper and Madrid, like Fabriano, has a beautiful smooth white surface. To get the fade it’s just how you apply the ink, I only cover part of the roller and keep a soft edge, that way when you carefully build the colours up you get a softness not a hard line. As I said before the bursts don’t like it but in reality the variation from print to print is negligible. It’s easy to demonstrate but hard to explain! I’m glad you like the Heron too.
Stay safe, best wishes, John
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ah ok thank you 🙂
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