Description
The Print
Each print comes with it’s own certificate of authenticity signed by me. Only the finest materials were used to make this limited edition print, which I have produced myself. Both the paper (Somerset Enhanced Velvet) and the inks (Epson UltraChrome Pro) are of archival quality, meaning the print could last up to 400 years.
The Technique
I draw with Bic biros on raw linen canvas. To prepare the surface I lighten the canvas with a white oil paint wash. Once this is dry, I draw with the biro, as I would with pencil on paper. After the drawing is complete, it’s varnished (to fix the ink in place) and more white oil paint is used to add light and finalise the composition. The Bic ink is actually surprisingly versatile, in terms of its colour. If I want a blue tinge to the work I can smudge it, and a sepia tinge can be achieved by layering white oil paint over it. The paint interacts with the ink as it dries, changing the colour.
The Inspiration
It was one of those rare moments, where I instantly knew a piece of art just had to be done. We were walking in the New Forest and spotted some shapes in amongst a patch of, what I assumed to be, burnt out gorse. I wasn’t at all sure what they were, and it wasn’t until we managed to get a bit closer, that we realised it was a group of red deer, who no doubt had been watching us much longer than we had them! I just love the way their antlers blend in with the high contrast of the branches. It had to be another large canvas for this piece, although, I didn’t fully realise what I’d taken on, as it ended up taking me over 120 hours to complete. There are actually six deer, although, only a small part of the sixth can be seen. Can you spot it?
