Printmaking: "Plight" Prints

Printmaking: "Plight" Prints

 Plight”, drypoint etching and drypoint etching overprinted onto water colour monoprint:

Truelove Sculpture,  River Hull, Kingston Upon Hull:

Sculpture by Stefan Gec (2002).

Introduction

On my walks along the River Hull, I came across a fascinating piece of sculpture set amongst the wooden posts of the old harbour, near the Tidal Barrier.

Two heads sit on a round plinth surrounded by curved fans of steel rods. The scene intrigued me and I researched the background to the sculpture and then made my own interpretation of the scene in some prints. My aim was to capture the pathos of the scene with a sensitive approach to the subject matter.

Background

The plaque reads: "In 1847 Memiadluk (aged 17) and Uckaluk (aged 15) arrived in Hull close to this site aboard the Truelove, a local whaling ship. The following year the married couple set sail for their home in Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island. During this journey Uckaluk died following an outbreak of measles on board the ship."

The sculpture illustrates Hull’s connections with people across the seas. Truelove displays the heads of eskimo (Inuit) couple Memiadluk and Uckaluk. When the two were brought to Hull on the whaling ship, Truelove, they were then exhibited here in native costume and with canoes. In the spring of 1849, Memiadluk and Uckaluk began their return journey home, then Uckaluk contracted measles, and died shortly afterwards. She was fifteen years old.

The heads are copies of casts which are on display in the Maritime Museum along with posters of their “visit”.

The installation is sited at the mouth of the Hull where the old harbour was and where many whaling ships including the Truelove would have landed.

Process

Plight”, drypoint etching

I followed the same process as in my previous blog entry which illustrated the "Looking Out" prints. However, due to the nature of the subject matter, I was able to use more of a variety of techniques and etching tools. The wooden posts had many textural qualities which I wanted to depict. To enhance the rugged and aged qualities of the posts I used an etching tool with a row of forked points, I also followed the natural splits in the wood, especially at the top of the posts. The barrel-shaped plinth is made of metal, and I used a new tool for the first time, which was very effective in producing marks which replicated the material and tonal qualities of the "drum" shape.

I printed a small edition in Charbonnel Carbon Black printing ink on Fabriano Rosapina cream paper (see above).

I then made a water colour monoprint which I hand printed using a spoon onto Fabriano Unica white paper. While the paper was still damp, I then over printed the drypoint etching, using Charbonnel Carbon Black printing ink.

I chose subtle colours for the monoprint as I did not want a bright, harsh result, which would not have been in keeping with the sadness of the narrative. I also applied the colour onto the perspex plate quite thinly and sensitively. It produced a soft result which was what I was looking for.

Conclusions

The sculpture really inspired me, and I hope that my prints do justice to the concept behind the original piece of art. The textures of the old wood worked well, using a variety of tools and techniques. I managed to capture the tonal qualities and the choice of colours and their application was good, in that they are subtle, and suit the pathos of the story.

Printmaking: "Looking Out" Prints

Printmaking: "Looking Out" Prints

  “Looking Out”, drypoint etching and drypoint etching overprinted onto water colour monoprint:

Hull’s Voyage Statue set against the backdrop of The Deep, Kingston Upon Hull.

Introduction

Hull's Voyage statue depicts a human figure stood on a plinth, staring out across the Humber Estuary. From Iceland, a sister statue, made by the same artist, Steinunn Thorarinsdottir, looks across the North Atlantic towards its Hull counterpart, in a small, village called Vik. In days gone by, it was here that many Yorkshire trawlermen were rescued and given food and shelter when their vessels ran aground. The pair of sculptures commemorate centuries of sea-trading and fishing relations between the two regions.

My aim was to capture the concept of the figure leaning forwards and looking towards a distant land, Iceland, across rough and dangerous seas where so many local people travelled, seeking fertile fishing grounds.

Set against the history of this human endeavour is the modern, iconic, man-made structure of the Deep, the huge aquarium which houses over 3000 creatures, including sharks and sawfish.

Process

I made a perspex printing plate by scratching into the surface. I used a ruler for some of the straight lines of the Deep, as its linear appearance is part of its appeal. However, for the figure, I drew in freehand with my printing tool to get free flowing natural lines. Similarly, I drew freely for the plinth as it is made of a natural, granite-type of material, and has textured sides.

Initially, I produced a small series of drypoint etchings, using Charbonnel printing ink in Carbon Black printed onto Fabriano Rosapina cream printing paper.

“Looking Out”, drypoint etching 

I then went on to create a water colour monoprint which I used to overprint with the etching (illustrated at the top of the page). When I made the monoprint I carefully painted around the shape of the figure so that when printed, the figure would stand out like a silhouette against the coloured backdrop. (The monoprint, which was hand printed using a roller, was printed onto Fabriano Unica, white, as it is a less heavy paper for the hand printing process).

Conclusions

The angular structure and pattern of the tiles of the Deep contrast well with the natural, simple, form of the figure, which is emphasised further when colour is added. The print has a strong composition and the high skyline works well.

Painting: Beyond the Wall: Wilberforce House Gardens

Painting: Beyond the Wall: Wilberforce House Gardens

 

Beyond the Wall: Wilberforce House Gardens (final painting)

 

Introduction

 

Many of my paintings connected with the River Hull have structures as their main feature. This time, I decided to concentrate on a pocket of natural beauty within the gardens of Wilberforce House. William Wilberforce lived in the house (now a museum) which backs up onto the walkway which borders the River Hull. It is a small walled garden, compact, but full of history and charm. The garden is separated from the river front by a brick wall with arched windows allowing passers by to peep inside.

I wanted to capture the hard shapes of the concrete paving stones, wall and wooden bench, and contrast them with the natural, softer forms made by the tree and wisteria branches winding over the arch. The winter scene enabled me to play with the negative shapes formed between the twisting lines of branches. Light shone on the distant tree, the foreground was in shadow. The composition created interesting layers of subject matter.

Process

At the time of starting this painting, the UK was still in "lockdown" due to the Corona Virus pandemic. I wanted to paint a further large image using a canvas measuring 3 feet by 4 feet. Despite searching online for this sized canvas, I could not get hold of one. I knew that I had previously created a painting on this scale some years ago and thought about painting over the top of it. I had got this idea from an artist I spoke to last year, who always re-used his old canvases. He felt that the process added character to the finished result.

I got out the old canvas and mixed a mid-grey shade which I applied to the whole of the canvas. I sketched out an outline of the composition.

 

Early stage of composition

 

One of the problems I met was that the previous painting seemed to have left a residue behind which made it harder for the paint to adhere to. Also, the paint had been applied quite thickly in places and the ridges of the previous paint showed up on the blank parts of the canvas. I decided that I had no option but to carry on regardless.

 

I continued to add detail to each part of the image, thinking all the time however, about the effect on the whole scene, the light and shadows and colour palette.

 

 

(detail)

 

 

(detail)

 

 

(detail)

 

 

(detail - showing textured lines left behind from previous painting)

Summary

I think that the final painting has a lot of character. Despite using an old canvas, the textured layer beneath seemed to add to the atmosphere of the painting as a whole.

I achieved my aim of concentrating on the natural forms as a focal point, whilst also emphasising the straight lines and man-made objects. The composition meant that I could really expose the negative shapes between the branches of the tree and climbing wisteria.

I hope that the viewer has a sense of "looking through" onto the "hidden" garden and takes in some of the atmosphere created.