Down the by-ways of Albion

 

Down the by-ways of Albion

Mezzotint

150mm x 200mm

Edition of 50

Finally finished editioning this latest Mezzotint. On the face of it a nostalgic image of a long gone rural idyll. My title deliberately implies this. Albion being an old name for Britain dating back to the classical Greek writers and revived by the romantic poets such as William Blake. However, the image is contemporary, or at least was a couple of years ago  when I came across it deep in the countryside of North Norfolk.

For the more technical minded, the plate was rocked using a 4 inch wide 100 lines per inch Lyons Rocker in 24 directions and printed on 250gsm Somerset Satin with a Blue Black ink across the top half and a Brown Shade Black ink across the bottom half from Hawthorn Printmakers.

Editioning

 Started to edition the new mezzotint and managed to pull 12 impressions today. All the stage proofs were printed in charcoal black. For the edition I'm using a blue shade black for the top half of the print and a brown shade black for the lower half. The difference between the two is slight and subtle and doesn't show too well in the photographs. I don't want it to look like it is printed in two colours, I just want the foreground to look warmer in tone than the background.

Hen Harrier

 New Linocut print completed this week.

Hen Harrier

10 colour Reduction Linocut printed in 9 stages.

190mm x 170mm

Stage prints below

Colour 1

Colours 2 and 3

Colour 4

Colour 5

Colour 6

Colour 7

Colour 8

Colour 9

Colour 10

Almost Finished

 I've worked this new mezzotint plate almost to the finish now. Just a few things to tidy up and some highlights to burnish to white and it will be ready to edition.

Inked plate on the hotplate ready for wiping.

Wiped plate on the press bed.

Plate and newly printed impression.

Derby Print Open

I have three Engravings and a Mezzotint accepted for this exhibition organised by Green Door Studios.