Australian Flora Series : 2018
Art Partners Australia commissioned 10 works to be created based on Australian Flora and to fit an A2 window.
The commission came not long before I embarked on a trip through the centre of Australia and through the Kimberlies to Broome during winter.
Aimed with a keen sense of observation and my SLR camera I was lucky enough to experience all the State and Territory Floral Emblems in their natural habitat...that I had not previously encountered.
So State floral emblems became the bases of my artwork with a couple of other favourites thrown in.
The commission came not long before I embarked on a trip through the centre of Australia and through the Kimberlies to Broome during winter.
Aimed with a keen sense of observation and my SLR camera I was lucky enough to experience all the State and Territory Floral Emblems in their natural habitat...that I had not previously encountered.
So State floral emblems became the bases of my artwork with a couple of other favourites thrown in.
Research Drawings
In my research drawings I'm striving to learn and understand the structure of the flowers and the innate patterns that can be gleaned from these structures.
The aim is to produce 'symbols' that are believable enough for the viewer to recognise and 'free' enough for me to enjoy creating patterns and flows within my artwork.
Once I have developed a feel for the plants basic forms and structure I start composing... then I refine these drawings to enable the lino carving and printing processes to fit within the time restraints of the commission.
The aim is to produce 'symbols' that are believable enough for the viewer to recognise and 'free' enough for me to enjoy creating patterns and flows within my artwork.
Once I have developed a feel for the plants basic forms and structure I start composing... then I refine these drawings to enable the lino carving and printing processes to fit within the time restraints of the commission.
The Process
Due to the time restrictions and the known number of hours required to carve blocks of this size with the detail I wanted I had to limit the number of printings and use hand colouring to complete the order.
To help meet the deadline the following were used:
A common horizon line was used in all 10 designs
The same colours were used in the printing of each design and a base colour was used to produce all three printed colours
A base colour was used in all colours used in the hand colouring
Detailed recording of colours, mixing ratios and variations between wet and dry were kept in my printing journal
Detailed works sheets were developed to pre record the steps required to finish each design as all 10 designs were being developed at the same time
To help meet the deadline the following were used:
A common horizon line was used in all 10 designs
The same colours were used in the printing of each design and a base colour was used to produce all three printed colours
A base colour was used in all colours used in the hand colouring
Detailed recording of colours, mixing ratios and variations between wet and dry were kept in my printing journal
Detailed works sheets were developed to pre record the steps required to finish each design as all 10 designs were being developed at the same time
Development of Sturt's Desert Rose
I paint my vinyl with house paint so I can draw on it easily and to distinguish my carved lines from the background
1st Left: the plate is carved ready to do the first printing
2nd Left: the resulting first printing with two colours being rolled to delineate the 'horizon line'
3rd : the plate is carved ready to print the second colour (the pink paint was removed after the first printing and pencil was used to identify areas to be left)
4th: Design ready for hand colouring
1st Left: the plate is carved ready to do the first printing
2nd Left: the resulting first printing with two colours being rolled to delineate the 'horizon line'
3rd : the plate is carved ready to print the second colour (the pink paint was removed after the first printing and pencil was used to identify areas to be left)
4th: Design ready for hand colouring
The 10 artworks in the Australian Flora Series
