I take great care in keeping my artwork and cards clean and dry. One of the many measures I have taken to achieve this, is placing indicator silica gel pouches in every box or drawer containing artwork or cards. These easy to make indicator silica gel pouches can be reused time and time again. I…
Repurposed Christmas Card Baubles
Do you have a collection of old cards that you would like to reuse to make something beautiful? As a printmaker I have a drawer of misprinted cards and it is at this time of year that I love to create card baubles from some of these. Even if you don’t have a drawer of…
Linocut or Collagraph? Graceful Owl, Different Printmaking Techniques
A few years ago I went on a family canal trip, surrounded by open countryside and wildlife. It was very relaxing and inspiring too. I remember the evening we spotted a barn owl hunting for prey along the edge of the field. It drifted back and forth alongside the canal. I was truly captivated and…
Repurposing Cards
I have been designing and creating hand printed cards for a while now. I love drawing up new designs and carving them before seeing the final result printed. In this blog, I’m going to share with you some projects that I like to do with these cards after use. I like to think of each…
Ripples and Waves
Last summer, I remember a lovely afternoon spent walking one of our local coastal paths. It was a mellow, late afternoon stroll which was needed for rambling the steep and rugged hilltop. Dispersed across it were delicate, small wildflowers peeking out from the grass. A great contrast to the thorny gorse that grew aside the…
Collagraph Grass
I am currently working on my latest collagraph commission, a picturesque landscape with long swaying grass and rolling hills. This week I decided to experiment printing with different media to create the impression of grass. I began with creating a trial plate from an offcut of mountboard. I made a miniature landscape, cutting away the…
Christmas Carving
As always, the festive season had been creeping up on me when I realised I hadn’t got round to making any cards yet. Sketchbook to hand and looking through photos for ideas, I made drafts of subjects that I wanted in my design. This design is inspired by the garden birds that bring me joy…
Hand Printed Cards
Creating a Design Since the beginning of this year I have been busy creating lino cuts for hand printing onto greetings cards. Many people are curious about the processes involved so I decided to write this blog. To begin I choose my subject and draw it lightly in pencil. I try and simplify it thinking…
Printing Experiments
On a warm, sunny day last year, I paid a visit to Margam Park in Wales. Wandering through the grounds, the sound of birdsong and beating wings filled the air as birds swooped down to catch insects amongst the garden borders. The gardens are very formal and complement the gothic castle standing majestically behind with…
Portrait Commission
Recently, when I was asked to draw a portrait as a surprise gift, I felt very excited even if a little anxious. Portraits, once my favourite subject had taken second place to landscapes for me ever since attending Aberystwyth’s School of Art where there was the most inspiring scenery. Leading up to the commission, researching…