The colours of a late afternoon mid February, a beach to myself ( and the dogs ) looking for potential new images to cut.
I decided on this one with it's interesting sky, wet beach reflections, sea and rocks, perfect. I started this print during the Cornwall Open Studios and posted my layers as I went along but here it is again if you didn't see it on instagram.
First drawing on the lino and white crayon marks for first cut.
First colour printed, I went for a very pale grey/blue, the white foam of the sea isn't actually white and I didn't want it to be too bright and distract from the wet reflections catching the sun.
I wanted to get the brightness of the sun peeping through the clouds and reflecting on the wet sand so next I went for a light yellow.
The cuts so far and white markings of what I'm planning to cut next. The bits I cut out are the bits I want to keep, of the colour I've just printed.
Next a pink and blue in the sky,
more blue on the sky and a silvery pale grey on the water reflection.
A darker blue in the sky which is now finished and a pale apricot added to the reflections,
first blue on the sea, first brown on the sand
a grey ink on the lino
and printed over the sea and the beach.
First green on the sea,
and now the lino looks like this.
2nd sea green and a darker brown on the beach with a fade to get the look of the wet untrodden slightly bulging sand.
3rd green onto the sea, I'm very pleased with my little waves
and a dark grey on the sand
dark brown to start the rocks and a darker grey to finish the reflections.
Another darker green on the wave to finish it with a bit more depth and roll.
Darker layer onto the rocks,
and scribbles on my lino to work out which bits I'm cutting and keeping for the last rock details.
I mixed a very dark almost black without using black to finish the rocks and the picture.
Hanging up to dry
Finished print and I named it Seaward as that's where it's flowing.
An idea of how it might look framed
Print size 42 x 63cm
Reduction linocut 22 colours
Limited edition of 12
Paper 56 x 75cm Somerset satin 250gms
Available to buy here