Methods

Linoprinting
This is a relief method of printmaking which I use for many of my handmade cards. I firstly draw the design onto a piece of lino.  The areas to remain white are gouged out with a special tool. I takes rubbings from the surface of the plate to check how the cutting is progressing before I begin printing.  I use a small roller to apply a thin coat of oil-based ink. I then place the plate on top of the paper which I then roll through the press. I ink up the lino again before each print.  I sometimes add watercolour to the print once the ink is dry. Up to 300 prints can be taken from each plate.

Collograph

I use this technique for my handmade cards and fine art prints. I use two different types of plate, one a ready-made plate with a top coating that I cut into and peel away the coating. I also gouge lines into the surface.  This plate can only produce about six to ten good impressions.

The other type of plate I make by spreading PVA glue thickly all over a piece of mountboard. As the glue dries, I trace the design into it. Once the glue is completely dry, I spread thick black printing ink onto the surface of the plate, ensuring that the ink penetrates into the lines. I then carefully wipe the surface of the plate with tissue paper, just leaving the ink in the lines. The plate is then placed on the printing press and etching paper placed on top. It is then rolled through the press, which transfers the ink onto the paper. Up to 150 prints can be taken from these plates. Watercolour is added by hand once the ink has dried.

There are many other variations to making collograph plates. The cardboard can easily be shaped into something other than a conventional rectangle. You can stick things to the cardboard such as string, sand, seeds, leaves, fabric, sequins etc. or cut away layers to add depth. Instead of PVA on the surface, varnish or shellac can be used to form a tough, non-absorbent layer, to ink up and print. Plates can be printed in relief or with the intaglio method.

Drypoint

I use this technique to produce many of my fine art prints. I use a perspex 'plate' into which I engrave the outline of the image using a special tool. The plate is then inked up and printed in the same way as a collograph.  The ink takes about two days to dry. I then add watercolour to produce the final artwork. The plate can produce about ten impressions.

Oil Painting

I firstly produces rough sketches and work out colours before starting a painting. Recently I have been doing this
by scanning outlines into the computer and experimenting with different colour combinations before settling on the colour palette for each painting. My paintings are usually quite small and are either on paper or board. My inspiration for imagery derives mainly from local Fen landscapes, Suffolk coastal scenes and imaginary flowers and seed heads. To add texture and definition to some of my paintings I draw into the paint while it is still wet. This is known as scraffito. The paintings take several days to dry.

Watercolour

I mostly use watercolours for colouring my card designs. I like to use a wet on wet technique to produce a blend of colours. This method is not so easy to control but can produce 'happy accidents'.

Sketchbooks

My sketchbooks are very important to me as they bring back vivid memories of places and are more evocative than a simple photograph. I use a mixture of pen and ink, watercolour, pencil, charcoal and sepia pencil. I wish I had more time for sketching. I also use larger sketchbooks as working documents for my design work.