Description
The Print
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
The purpose of this piece of art is to communicate the feeling I get when staring across a misty lake, early in the morning. It’s a really spiritual feeling, looking across light drenched misty water. You don’t get to see it very often, as it’s only when conditions are just right. There needs to be quite a bit of mist, but very little cloud, allowing the low sun to shine through. During my time at the Living Craft Christmas Fair, at Blenheim Palace, I’ve got to know their lakes pretty well and I chose to use them, and some of the wildlife contained there, as the base for the artwork.
