In between times

I am in the middle of completing commissions, printing fresh stock to send out to galleries (great news), and generally getting ready for things coming up soon (more in another post), and  I find myself distracted by images I want to pursue.

I promised myself I would concentrate on getting Inkyprints-Originals established with a portfolio and stock base before heading back into art for art's sake, but I need to do some and I think it will be good for me and for Inkyprints if I let myself. I have been wanting to do a series of bird prints for quite a while - I had collagraphs and drypoints in mind, but I think I'll do some in linocut as well. I am sure that there is room for some linocut prints in my Inkyprints range and hope that they will complement the notebooks and other stationery.

Here are a few of my sketches.  I love all of the bad-boy birds: crows, rooks, magpies etc (jackdaws are a real treat, but we don't have any near us) - I think it's the sense that they have attitude that I like.

I have a messy loose style when sketching - quite different from the graphic qualities of linocut, which is why I have previously caught them in drypoint. It'll be a challenge giving them new life, I'm looking forward to it - oh, and it'll take time (mum stuff has to come first) but I'll post the results eventually!

I'm hoping to see some more birds today - we're off to a Falconry display in a minute - a Father's Day treat (there will be coffee and cake in a cafe I'm sure)  - hard to get good pictures when they're in flight, but it'll be fun trying.