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How's that crab you?
You'll remember from my last posting that having obtained a scrummy bellyboard (unvarnished and ready for paint) from Traditional Surfing, I did some experimenting with paints and various markmaking...
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Can you see what it is yet?
Full size finished rough on the kitchen table; it being the only place large enough to see it in full. Next.... transfer the rough to the board. Carbon paper at the ready!Plus we have just ordered...
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Onto the board...
Right....so the sketch is transferred to the board using half an acre of carbon paper.....And the seagull comes last above the sea spray.Now for the painting! I need to keep the design simple, so black...
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Article 21
At last....time to start putting some colour onto the board! I'll start with the flesh (there's a lot of it!) and also I'll have to make sure I don't dip my brush into my coffee mug instead of the...
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Colouring up
This is what the board looked like about lunchtime, after a few hours work. I'm really enjoying giving it life with colour.At the end of the day's work, it's starting to come together.I have to go out...
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Wanna see my board?
I'll give it a day for the oil to bed into the wood.....then hopefully take it to the waves tomorrow.Thanks to Traditional Surfing for their advice re: linseed oiling.
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Just a quick note to tell you I've created a new blog to cover my Surfy postings, so any further board art will appear there. The blog's URL is: http://swellchaser.blogspot.comIt's in early stages yet,...
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A Bookplate
Not engraved, but drawn on the computer, as my client wanted to have a rubber stamp made of the artwork so that he could print bookplates as and when he needed them.
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Rainy summer
I feel for the visitors down to Cornwall this year. Apart from some glorious weather in early Summer, it's been unpredictable, showery, windy and dull, with the occasional fabulous day just to tease...
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Article 15
I have ideas circulating for a new engraving. I want to try and depict the speed and thrill of riding a wooden bellyboard in the surf. The sort of wave that you catch and which then carries you pell...
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New sketches
If you want to take a peek at the first batch of my new sketches (these are about the 9th World Bellyboard Champs, that I entered) pop over to my surfy blog here: SwellchaserThe event was held at...
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More bellies
A couple more bellyboarder sketches:The knitted stripey creation sagged alarmingly after his first heat and he had to re-tie the straps cross-wise to prevent any untoward malfunctions!Junior (under...
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A new engraving
Here's the latest page in my sketchbook, along with a block bearing my chosen design in black ink. (in reverse of course, so that it prints the right way round). I shall begin to engrave today,...
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Engrave the wave!
Yesterday's work saw the ladies progress further. I still want to put a pattern on the lady in front's costume and a few other bits but now I'm going to engrave the wave (I like that phrase!). Wish me...
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Go for it, Mildred!
And a detail shot of the work being done on the wave and sky in the top right.More coming soon....
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Cutting the sky
Coming along now, the worst bit is gouging the larger areas of white. The best bit is 'discovering' nice textures and ways to depict areas like sky and water. I'm enjoying this immensely. :-)
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Give us a wave!
Here's the block as it is so far sitting on it's leather sandbag alongside one of my favourite tools, the spitsticker. I've made a start on the wave and am enjoying depicting the textures and movement...
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A Watery Rave? (ouch!)
A bigger view of the block this time if you click on it, so you can get a feel for the cuts. I'm loving the swish and foam of the water but having to take the cutting cautiously as I don't want to lose...
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Almost there!
As you can see, I made good progress yesterday and just have a small area of wave to engrave, along with a cozzie and a few tweaks here and there. If I get on ok today I may be able to run off a first...
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First proof
Here's the block inked up and locked onto the press bed.The first proof. I need to do a fair bit of tidying up, removing especially the spots in the sky area and tonal adjusting generally. The edges...
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Bathing Beauties
At long last, (having been delayed by many outside factors), I have managed to complete the block and start an edition run! So here we are.....bathing beauties! Three jolly hardy ladies ride the surf...
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US exhibition success
Great news... I have had two prints accepted for the 1st Wood Engravers Network exhibition, over in the USA. WEN is an association with members from all over the States as well as worldwide, a younger...
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New for me... suicide printing!
More widely known as 'reduction printing', this is where you end up with a coloured print but use just one printing plate, rather than one for each separate colour. Picasso has been credited with...
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First colour
Block's cut for the first colour. The cut away areas will remain white when I print. I've chosen a fairly neutral colour scheme and the first colour will be the lightest. My printing press is set up to...
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