Ink resist progress

I have managed to get a bit further with my latest "ink resist" painting (started here).

The white gouache resist has been completed

Once the gouache is completely dry, Indian ink is brushed over the image

The Indian ink has now been washed off

The ink was washed off under running water and the paper stretched onto a board, awaiting the final washes of watercolour to bring it to life.

Bookbinding workshop

Last week I attended a bookbinding workshop tutored by Josie Brown.  Josie is a calligrapher and she also makes delightful artist's books.

The structure we were making was a Japanese butterfly bound book, this involved sewing the sections with four needles - supposed to be really simple, but it was also quite easy to get in a tangle until you got the hang of it!  We used various weights of drawing and watercolour paper, with the binding allowing the book to open quite flat - ideal for use as a sketchbook. The cover was an uncomplicated folded wrapper into which the end papers of the book were slotted.

The sewn book block to which I added painted end papers

The folded cover

The end papers in place

I decorated the cover with a thin strip of salvaged end paper

Josie also showed us how to make a slipcase.  We didn't have enough time to make this on the day, but came away with an instruction sheet for later use.

Paste grain papers

Another diversion - it is a while since I attempted some paste grain papers, but with some leftover wallpaper paste and some "hand-me-down" craft acrylics, decided I could spend a couple of hours playing with materials.

I mixed acrylic paint with the paste and used a small sponge paint roller to apply it to an A3 sheet of 100 gsm copier paper.  The paste stays wet long enough to impress or drag patterns into the surface.  On this occasion I used a plastic fork, a spatula, a silicon brush and a bottle cork.  The papers can be used in bookbinding, collage, etc. - the surface will smudge if it gets too moist when using glue, so I usually seal it with an acrylic medium.

Another ink and gouache resist

Taking a break from bookmarks and Christmas card production, I have started another small ink and gouache resist painting.

This little sketch was done after a wander round the forest paths on the Longleat estate in Wiltshire some 5 years ago.  I call it The Gamekeeper's Cottage - I am not sure if that is correct, but there seemed to be dozens of pheasants strutting around in the vicinity.

Pen and wash - approx 4" x 3"

Pencil and watercolour under-wash - 10" x 6.5"

Part way through adding white gouache

I can already see that I will have to reinforce some areas of gouache to ensure the subsequent Indian ink wash doesn't dirty the areas I need to keep the lightest.

(See the final image here.)

Northern Lights

Our local art group challenge this month was the create a travel poster illustration in the style of those of the 1930s or 1940s.

My effort was inspired by a winter trip to Norway some years ago - my reference was a photo taken on our visit to North Cape on the Norwegian island of Mageroya.  Later, on our journey south, we witnessed the Aurora Borealis, so I was keen to include that phenomenon to highlight the sculpture on the headland.

The effect of the Northern Lights was achieved by dry-brushing iridescent green and blue acrylic through a mask, then adding touches of metallic wax crayon once it had dried.  Obviously, the appearance changes according to the surrounding light conditions, so it is not easy to photograph.

North Cape - Acrylic and mixed media - 6.5" x 8"

North Cape (detail) photographed in artificial light

Some time ago I attempted to capture a similar scene in watercolour.

Northern Lights - watercolour

Lino prints

The bookmark project is progressing well - I have been painting backgrounds, printing, cutting and collaging.  To date, I am a third of the way to the target of 100.  As these will not be released until September 2017, I suppose further progress pictures will have to wait until then!

Meanwhile, I have been trialling a couple of prints for my personal Christmas cards this year.  I will probably try out different printing or background colours before I decide on the final format. The Christmas rose on the black paper has already had some hand-colouring added.

Sketch outing

For our November sketch outing we met in the comfort and warmth of the Central Library cafe.  We had been asked not to sketch individual library visitors so we dispersed to the upper floors and made the most of the internal architecture of the building or views from the windows.  My effort was of the Town Hall clock tower - a bit wonky as I was straining to look up from my viewpoint (that's my excuse, anyway!).

Sanguine Pitt artist pen and W&N Burnt Sienna watercolour marker