News
August
Yes I know, another water picture but you know I love them. As soon as I saw this beautifully clear water and the gorgeous distorted rock shapes, I knew there was a print in there somewhere. I was excited to get the perfect photo while not slipping on the rocks and drowning my phone. I work directly from my photo which is flipped. My studio set up usually looks like this. The image on the lino is the same way as the flipped photo but the hanging drying prints are the right way round. I start with a simple drawing...
Iguazu Falls
So here's how I made my monster of a print, it's taken 2 months and I'm very happy with how it turned out. March 2024 I was lucky enough to visit the Iguazu Falls in Argentina. ( and unlucky enough to get bitten by mosquitoes and catch dengue fever ) It was Amazingly beautiful and as you can guess I took loads of photos, some of which are on my instagram but you'll have to scroll back to March Hazel McNab Photos This photo was my favourite, I love the composition. The way the thin trunk of the tree cuts straight...
St Ives Brewery - Craft Beers Commission
Last October I was excited to be asked if I'd design some prints for the St Ives Brewery's Craft Beer cans. I felt it was a great honour and it made me feel like I must be accepted as a proper St Ives artist despite being a Northerner. Firstly I went out to visit the locations and took photos. I was a bit worried, as to me composition is the most important starting point and designing for a can with text in important places compromises the composition. I made a tracing paper template so I could check the design layout...
Rinsey Rockpool
One of my fave beaches. And most of 2023 it had sand. All rocks again now but how lovely it was with the sand. I loved this photograph, so it's been a plan to cut it since I took the picture. The combination and strength of the foreground shapes makes it quite an unusual composition. I have found this my most confusing puzzle of a print so far. I got a bit stuck in the middle but it all worked out in the end. so... working out Rinsey rockpool Here we go with all the stages Drawing on lino First...
July
Back in July 22 I visited Kynance Cove on a gorgeous July evening with my sister. We swam in the sparkling water and I came home with lots of inspiring photos. April 23 I produced a print I named Kynance Light and it was my fastest selling print. Since then I've kept looking at this photograph and wondering if it was suitable for a print. The blurred patch at the front and the stretched wave had me a bit worried as to whether it would look weird and not work, but the more I kept seeing this photo the more...