'Colin' the British Bulldog

'COLIN' The British Bulldog.

It's taken 6 months but I've finally completed a new linoprint!

My 'minor' stroke has caused more than some inconvenient ongoing problems, including significant loss of peripheral vision and focus.

'Colin' was meant to be just a 'quick' 19 x16cms. print of just a few colour reductions to get back on track. The reality was a consequent catalogue of careless mistakes and minor disasters that some of the edition copies were irretrievable. In the end I also had to use many more colours and textures in the end and the edition resulted in just 6 prints.

I would like to go on a bit longer but, unfortunately, writing/typing has become quite a task (others will think thank goodness)! Forgive me so I can use the same text for other groups who might be of interest.

Christmas is Coming!

The Annual Christmas Exhibition at The Ilkley Art Shop/Gallery (Hawksworth Street) is now open! Tim Tennant, the owner, has a wide range of new prints and art works featuring six artists - Brian Hindmarch, Deborah Dyer, Jeremy Taylor, Richard Gawhorpe, Nicole Dickinson and myself, Mike Smith.

Ending the 'PRINTS 2020' EXHIBITION

Our current print exhibition at the Ilkley ‘Art Shop/Gallery’ will be drawing to a close at the end of the month. In these especially difficult times, I’d like to say thank you to the many visitors who have made an effort to see our work, - and even for a second time!

if you’ve discovered my linoprints for the first time, I would urge you to take a look through my website www.mikesmithprints.co.uk. The site reflects the depth and range of my pintmaking over the last twelve years. My website also highlights the materials, processes and techniques involved.

Finally, I’d like to thank Sue in particular for all her curating and for her helpful encouragement.

'PRINTS 2020' Exhibition.

My friend, the drypoint printmaker Brian Hindmarch, and I, had intended to hold a joint exhibition since the beginning of 2020. However, the world has changed quite dramatically this year due to the pandemic, so we have had to rethink our plans. Fortunately for us, Tim Tennant, owner of the Ilkley Art Shop and Gallery, has offered to exhibit our work.

The exhibition will open on 4th October 2020 and run until Saturday 31st October, with obvious restrictions as to the number of people able to gather in the gallery at any one time. We’re very grateful to Tim for allowing us to show our work at all during these very difficult times!

A 'FRESH START'

It has now been more than eight weeks since I completed my latest print, ‘The View From the Road to Paradise Farm,’ and recorded my print blog. Unfortunately, six weeks ago I suffered a minor stroke. My enormous gratitude for the prompt superb NHS treatment is without bounds. I spent eight days in hospital and was ‘lucky’ not to suffering any paralysis - however some physical consequences have left me with various problems. Being unable to focus properly on anything in close-up means that at the moment I’m having great difficulty with co-ordination of hand and eye - quite serious for a printmaker! Surprisingly, this has left me unable to read and speak properly - very frustrating for a voracious reader! Let’s hope this is all temporary!

At present, I feel that any printmaking of consequence is impossible - so I’m doing my best to get into a bit of drawing.

A NEW PRINT - View from the Road to Paradise Farm

Starting a few months ago with my print ‘Waves’ I have been attempting to get a little more spontaneity in my work. My print of ‘The Dunnock’ used a combination of fine line detail for the bird with a much more experimental approach to its setting.

In ‘View from the Road to Paradise Farm’, a ten stage reduction print, I have attempted to employ a similarly experimental methodology - allowing the print stages themselves to determine the appropriate next step in order to better capture the spirit of the location’s topography and atmosphere.

Based on the view to the east from the road that runs north along the western ridge of the North Yorkshire Moors, this is a magical landscape of towering scale.

As I’ve discovered with the last two prints, spontaneity and experimentation can prove to be expensive in both time and materials. At each reduction stage the ink block needs extra consideration in cutting and appropriate inking and, with my clumsy nature, irrevocably mistakes occur, of an original edition of ten, five remain of what has to be called a variable edition! The print and its details can be found in the Yorkshire Dales sub folder of ‘PLACES’

PRINT SALE

I know it's a bit late in the day but I've decided to participate in the #artistsupportpledge scheme. This means that I pledge to purchase artwork to the value of £200 for every £1000 of sales of my work. As a starting incentive I'm having a sale of some of my work with price reductions of 20% and, for some prints, even more!

 If you've not seen my web site, have a quick look now, there may be a print with your name on it! I've attached images of some of the work in the sale.

CWM IDWAL 20% OFF

PIED WAGTAILS AT LINTON FALLS 20%OFF

EIDER DUCKS 20% 0FF

NEW PRINT - A Dunnock

I’ve just completed this ten colour reduction linoprint of a House Sparrow. This little chap must have had a nest near by and for much of May it would perch on our fence and sing its heart out. Remarkably tame, it let me get within a few feet and let me take photos that became the basis for the print. Its plumage is, perhaps not as flamboyant as some other garden birds, it nevertheless, has a subtle colouring, a joyous call and a character that deserves recording.

The print measures 195 x 165mm. It is printed on Bristol board in T.N.Lawrence oil based printing inks.

NEW PRINT STAGE 13

This stage involved two colours. Stage 11, the blue base with added Payne’s Grey but no reducing base, and stage 12, an over print with a second lino shape to give extra form to the block of stone in the right foreground with the centre’s name and logo incised into it. The colour was reducing base with a smidgen of burnt umber and a pin prick of strong yellow.

Well, that’s it! I hope the client is happy with the print!!

NEW PRINT STAGE 12

Colour stage 10. The base blue with more Payne’s Grey and Crimson. I’ve also done some remedial work on the trees by removing ink with a scalpel and on the mother by overprinting with a card silhouette.

NEW PRINT STAGE 11

Colour stage 9. Using the remains of the previous colour mix, I’ve added a further hints of Crimson and Payne’s Grey. Probably just 3 stages to go!

NEW PRINT STAGE 10

Colour No. 8. The mixed blue as base with more crimson and a little Payne’s Grey added. The toddler has now started to appear, now for her mother!

NEW PRINT STAGE 9

Colour 7. I was worried that the print was getting a little too dark too soon. So, using colour 6 as a base I added a hint of crimson to change the hue and some white to lighten it rather than reducing medium. the figures are now emerging but I hope I haven’t cut too much of the mother and toddler away. I’m taking these images as ‘quick snaps’ so inevitably, as the light has changed, so has the colour image to some extent. When the print is finished I shall ask a photographer friend to record it properly (as long as I’m out of the 12 week lock down by then!).

NEW PRINT STAGE 8

Colour stage 6 consists of reducing base with minute amounts Ultramarine , Monastral blue, Payne’s grey and white. Finally, with more detail appearing and by using an overall colour the image is beginning to pull together.

NEW PRINT STAGE 7

Colour stage 5 with just two colours on the block and a little more detail beginning to appear. I’m a bit concerned about the strength of the previous ‘patches’ of colour, I’m going to have to do some serious thinking and planning now!

NEW PRINT STAGE 6

As the colours applied at this stage (4) are at odds with the main palette I’ve applied them using card cut outs, inked up and placed on top of the appropriate place on the block. then running the combination through the press. Currently a rather startling contrast, they will blend in as further colours are applied over and around them.

NEW PRINT STAGE 5

Colour No.3. I’ve used white ink as a base with just the tiniest smidgen of ultramarine to counter the strength of the previous colour. I’ve also started to dab off ink in an irregular way from the bottom right of the block for a good reason.

NEW PRINT STAGE 4

I added colour No.2 today, having removed the areas from the block that I want to remain colour 1. Not much to see at the moment I’m afraid, but it won’t be long now before the image starts to emerge.

NEW PRINT STAGE 3

The block is now ready to be printed with the first colour and areas which I want to remain white have been cut away. I’m using a modified registration board (as I’m in lock down for the next 12 weeks) and Terns Burton registration tabs have been attached to each piece of Bristol Board. My first colour is about 95% reducing medium with 3% mid green and 2% golden yellow.

The block on the registration board.

Colour 1

NEW PRINT STAGE 2

I’ve now done a reverse image and traced it on to the lino. Thank goodness the tedious bit is over - particularly the lettering! I had then to go over the traced image on the lino with ballpoint pen, the only medium that will not come off when cleaning the block of ink.

The next stage is to start cutting from the block all those areas of the design I wish to remain the white of the Bristol Board.