Autumn Leaves - Monotype Print

Handpulled Monotype 8cm x 24cm
Red Ochre oil based ink on cream paper

This print evolved through three steps. I inked a plexiglass plate and arranged leaves and plants I had picked up on my morning walk. I covered the plate with foil and pressed it in a book press. The first 'print' was a fun negative image on silver. I then ran the plate with the leaves still in place through the etching press and while the leaves embossed nicely there was still too much ink on the plate and the print was crude. Disappointed, I started lifting the leaves to clean the plate. That was when I discovered a delicate image traced on the plate. Through the etching press once more and above is the final result. You can click the image for more detail.

Collegiata di San Giuliano Print

Collograph Print in Raw Umber
image 14 x 21 cm on cream Grafia paper

This collograph was built up from shapes I cut out of textured Fabriano drawing paper and glued to my original sketch on a piece of mat board. The plate was then coated with several layers of acrylic medium and inked with oil based ink, wiped with talatan cloth and newsprint and run through the etching press.

Everything I've learned about collographs has been gleaned from artist/printmaker Belinda del Pesco. Belinda has generously posted a series of step-by-step demonstrations on collographs on her blog. She is a never-ending source of inspiration.

Kaki Pen Sketch and Gouache

Lami Safari Pen and Gouache

What I most love about winter in Tuscany - and I'm keeping count on one hand - is all the Kaki (Persimmon) trees dangling their golden fruit like Christmas trees.

I picked up a couple of fallen fruit on my walk the other morning and by the time I'd sketched them we were off to buy our own Kaki tree.

Flying Pictures, Different Strokes Book

Remember our Flying Pictures Sketchbook exchange last year? Well Lindsay Olson has organised an exhibition of our books in her local library in Chicago.

To coincide with the exhibition I've created a book of my contribution to all seven of the sketchbooks.

Flying Pictures Book

I'm hoping this first tentative step into virtual publishing may inspire our other Flyers to make their own book.

P.S. It's been a nightmare trying to create this book. First I tried in ISSUU and my PDF upload failed - days were wasted, so I decided to try scribd.com to test my PDF. FANTASTIC. It worked! First time! But as I'm new to this virtual publishing world may I ask you to choose 'BOOK' in the 'view mode' window at the bottom in order to view it as it was created.