Etched glass

I've been playing around with glass etching - not sure how it will progress or what I'm going to use it for but the ultimate aim is to do some images which are 'barely there' or become more/ less visible depending on the position of the viewer. Fits in with the idea of shadow drawings too. Early days....

Exhibition at Angel Row gallery

I've been very busy this week going over to Nottingham to do 'exhibition stuff' but looking forward now to the Private View tomorrow night. Had some time for reflection today and ready for a few days serious drawing over the weekend. Lots of ideas at the moment - but really need to finish aliminum panel drawings before I can get my head around anything else. Have to get some info cards sorted before bed - so another late night!

Reading Room

I've been thinking recently about how to get furniture into my basement studio. Wanted somewhere comfortable to sit and read but no way an ordinary chair or sofa would go down the (narrow) stairs. Then I came across a daybed in the Ikea catalogue - problem solved. Just got to make sure I do use it for reading and don't fall asleep:D

...nearly forgot

Identity card drawings (small credit card sized).

Drawing To Do List -

Current work in progress (5 large drawings)

Erase drawing(s) (tryptichs)

Wash drawing(s)

Fade drawing(s)

Concertina drawing(s)

Layer drawings (diptychs)

Shadow drawing(s)

plus assorted sample (i.e. small) pieces experimenting with glazes, mixed media and other temptations - and I also want to experiment more with sound/ dance/ movement stuff - so that's me sorted for the next decade or so then!

(Image: Edvard Munch's The Scream)

Erase

Feeling strong today so I managed to lift my big roll of Heritage paper onto the table to layer with carbon paper and tissue paper for my erase drawing (it is seriously heavy). Hoping that as I draw on the top layer (tissue) and rub out, the carbon (middle layer) will transfer onto the Heritage (bottom layer). Marks removed fom the top drawing should become visible on the lower layer- that's the idea anyway! Also hoping that the carbon paper itself will also become a drawing in its own right. Shouldn't really be starting a new drawing yet as I need to finish the four I'm currently working on - but I think this is going to be a line drawing rather than tonal so it will give me an alternative if I'm flagging...

Shadow Drawings

Back in 2004 I did a number of 'shadow drawings' (see top image) which were hand-etched images on acrylic sheet - the idea being that when a light shone the shadow of the etched image became visible. As the light changed so the image became less or more visible. As part of my fade/erase/wash series I wanted to do a similar thing with finger marks. Had a bit of a play today with a small piece of test acrylic and I think it will work - although of course it's absolutely impossible to get a decent photo. One dilema is scale - the old ones are about 90 x 120 cm so much easier to draw, see and document - these test are only about 6 x 10 cm and really tricky to draw. However I do quite like the idea of the scale being similar to actual size as when there is no direct light they look almost invisible - similar to finger marks on windows/ mirrors..... Will need to give this more thought - as I've still got a few months work to finish current large drawings there's no rush. Organising a group show at the Crompton in July where all customers/ staff can submit work - so may try to finish this small one for that - can get some idea of how it works and some feedback :)

Jerwood - to do or not to do?

Usual dilema at this time of the year - whether to submit work for the Jerwood Drawing exhibition. I have actually decided to submit again - must be a sucker for punishment :). Problem is that there are thousands of entries but only 40 - 50 selected. Living in Derby the nearest submission point is Liverpool which means at least 2 half days kept clear for taking work and picking up (and those days are fixed so I have to make sure I'm not doing anything else). In the past I've submitted large drawings which has meant making packing cases, and finding transport large enough to fit them into. This year I've decided to submit 3 smaller works which are representative of my current larger drawings - a pencil on paper, a wax/ pencil drawing and a drawing on translucent japanese paper. The latter is a single drawing (but I'll be doing some large scale layered drawings in the near future) and I've framed it so that it's sandwiched between 2 sheets of perspex to emphasise the translucent quality. Should all fit easily in my car which will keep the costs down and I shall use the opportunity for a bit of culture in Liverpool if time permits.

Pencil stuff

I've been having problems lately with drawing - after a few hours or so my fingers are aching more than normal. I think part of the problem is that the pencil gets smaller and smaller and although I have a pencil extender, the ridges actually make my fingers hurt even more. I'm hoping the answer lies in using a cluch pencil - should mean the pencil is exactly the same length/ weight all the time. Shall test over the next few months. As a result I needed to find a way to collect the residues - so I ordered some test tubes (will collect as individual drawings rather than the years of combined shavings from traditional pencils.)

I have been contemplating doing an animation for some time - still way off actually executing but found a promising piece of software - pencil - which I'm going to try to find the time to experiment with.

Finally, recently came across a pencil of the month club, which I'm really tempted to subscribe to - problem is single pencils aren't much use to me work-wise, but then I'd probably just keep them to look at anyway!

New moo cards have arrived

New moo cards have just arrived - needed some cards with international phone details! One day I'll get round to a set with 100 different images......

Going to Paris!

Really excited - just booked a few days in Paris at the end of the month. There's a Contemporary Drawing Fair on at the Carreau Du Temple from the 26th - 29th March and I couldn't miss that could I? We were intending to go anyway this year as part of our silver wedding anniversary celebrations (we kind of got together in Paris 29 years ago!) so have just bought it forward by a few months We're also hoping to fit in a short visit to some very good friends in Mansle.

engraveyourbook.com - how cool is this?

Just received my order from engraveyourbook.com and I'm so pleased with it! Had a detail of one of my drawings engraved onto a leather cover for my large moleskine sketchbook. Photos above don't really do it justice but if you go to their website you can see some great (and clearer) examples of other covers. I really want another one now - but I can only use one sketchbook at a time and I don't like moleskines for my diary etc. (I use fountain pens and the lined/ grid paper isn't good enough) so I need to put my thinking cap on. Maybe I should make my own book to fit........ could make a travel journal, or 'exhibitions I've visited' book ......

Light sheets

For ages I've been searching for a 10 inch square light box. Instead of going straight to a large scale I'm experimenting with some ideas on a smaller scale - 10" square to be precise (so I can show them as a group) - and one of these ideas is to do with layering drawings on translucent/ transparent papers e.g. japanese paper, tracng paper and showing them on a light box. It's pretty easy to find large light boxes at a reasonable price but impossible to find small square ones which don't cost hundreds of pounds!

Finally I came across the above light sheets which are really thin and flexible and can be cut to any size with a craft knife. The top photo shows the sheet as it comes out of the box - pink with the cord visible top right corner. The middles photo shows the sheet turned on and the bottom one is the sheet behind a card mount with a couple of sheets of paper with test scribbles. I shall cut the sheet to fit into a 10" square frame (with a hole cut in the bottom of the frame to feed the cord through) and I'll have a 10" square light box.

More snow and more sketchbook stuff

Saw this online (26 years, 86 notebooks) and thought it was really interesting . Although I don't use the same size sketchbooks or number them, I have kept most of mine since about 1995. Finding the ideal sketchbook is a bit of a quest - and I find I regularly change the goalposts about what I need/ want.

'turning the page'

I've had a really productive few days - haven't produced much physically but have had some much needed thinking time.....Whilst sorting through my sketchbooks I found some pocket sized hand-cut japanese accordian books which I made in 2005/ 2006 as part of my Surface/ Space series. Reminded me how much I love accordian books as they 'read' as a normal book but then transform/ expand into something else. Thinking of producing some larger scale drawings along these lines based around the premise of 'turning a page'. Shan't start properly for at least 6 months as I need to finish current drawings - but in the meantime will plan/ test and maybe make a 'pocket' version?

Lots of lovely snow!

Got up this morning to lots of snow!! I've had an intensive couple of weeks drawing - mainly work for my solo show in 2011 at Derby Museum. Seems a long way off but I've got a lot to do! However, after looking out the window I decided to have my own version of a duvet day (or week) which means I'm going to put my pencil down for a few days and spend some time with my sketch book (current and previous), tidy up a bit and generally take some 'head' time.....

Dancing delay

Bit of a set back with dance drawings - dancers down with colds - probably caught from me so can't say much! I was hoping to get all 5 drawings done by the end of December - but may have to accept that's not going to happen. Have lots to be getting on with in the meantime. Plasterer is just finishing off today - the dust has been a real pain but set me thinking about marks in dust which then become dusty marks......a kind of negative/ positive transition from one set of movements.....Too many ideas, too little time!

Current work

I've just uploaded drawings currently in progress - shall try to update a bit more regularly in the future (seem to have heard that before...). I am also working on my dance drawings - 3 down, 2 more to go - but I'm not going to post them yet (details only) as I don't want to influence my dancers! Hopefully the next dance will take place tomorrow and I'll be on target to finish all five by Xmas. One more week and I'll be able to spend extra time in my studio which will be good. With no proper studio for 6 months and various other intrusions this has not been a good year for making work but hoping 2009 will be better.....

Natalies's Dance (detail)

I've just completed my third dance drawing (detail above) - thanks Natalie!

At last I'm back...

After months of builders, noise and dust I'm back in my studio and able to do some work. Have been busy booking exhibitions at the pub, working far too many shifts and trying to get the house into some sort of order. Hoping to put in some proper studio time now I have my beautiful new studio.......