Nature in Print: Jewel Beetle Woman

As those who have read my two previous posts will now be well and truly aware, tomorrow I begin a short stint as a special guest artist of the Australian Print Workshop Summer School’s Nature in Print. The workshop instructor is APW Master Printer Simon White. Like the class participants, whom I very much look forward to meeting, I will be making a linocut during the three-day course. I'll also discuss my research methods and the ideas that have directed the current work.

Over the last few years I’ve accumulated a considerable collection of natural history books and journals, as well as studying insect specimens first-hand. The website of the CSIRO has also provided rich source material, particularly in relation to Australian moths.

My image has already been drawn onto the block in readiness for the workshop; I’ve documented its development to indicate the process involved up to this point.

In preparation for this linocut I made three small working drawings and from them chose Jewel Beetle Woman. The image was outlined on the block in pencil and completed in brush and ink. In addition, I applied white acrylic paint in order to facilitate some alterations and corrections. The linocut will be printed by Simon White and I will hand colour the edition with watercolour and pigmented drawing ink.

Pictured above: 

Jewel Beetle Woman, 2014, lino block in progress, 45 x 30 cm

Sketchbook images: Pencil on paper, 15 x 11 cm (paper size)

Ways of seeing

As the Nature in Print workshop at the Australian Print Workshop is set to commence, so is another heat wave. Thankfully the APW is air conditioned, as is the fabulous Melbourne Museum; the three-day workshop kicks off tomorrow morning with a field trip to its natural history section.

Directly below is a further selection of snapshots from my recent research trip to the museum. (See also previous post).

2014 Australian Print Workshop Summer School: Nature in Print

I’m delighted to be one of the special guest artists of the 2014 Australian Print Workshop Summer School. Fellow guest artists are Vicki Couzens, Juan Ford, Tim Jones, Roslyn Kean and Lisa Roet.

Cover art above left: Louise Weaver, le tigre, photo-lithograph

My workshop includes a field trip to the Natural History section of Melbourne Museum. Its remarkable insect collection has been a rich source of inspiration for much of my own work:

Homo-insecta, 2013 (images only): Portfolio cover: 33H x 24W x 1.5 D cm Cover art: linocut, hand coloured 22.5 x 12.5 cm 

Contents: 7 linocuts, hand coloured, 29.5 x 21 cm; edition: 10

During the workshop I will produce a limited edition print, working in collaboration with Master Printer Simon White. This week I visited the museum to do some preliminary research:

For full details of the APW Summer School workshops, visit the links below:

Linocut and the Melbourne Museum

Instructor: APW Printer Simon White

Tuesday 28 January – Thursday 30 January

10 am – 4 pm each day

Australian Print Workshop
219 Gertrude Street
Fitzroy Vic 3065
03 9419 546
http://www.australianprintworkshop.com/default.asp

Download the enrolment form here:
http://www.australianprintworkshop.com/education/pdf/APW_Summer_School_2014.pdf

A visit to Melbourne Museum

Last week I spent a day at the Melbourne Museum, mainly at Bugs Alive! doing some photographic research for my Myth-entomology project. Bugs Alive! is unquestionably my favourite exhibit in the museum. These pictures are a heavily edited selection from the dozens I took that day.

I was particularly entranced by the bewitching Rainforest Mantis pictured directly above, and returned several times to admire her. She was guarding a tiny egg case, called an ootheca (see photograph second from base.) It was well camouflaged, and if not for the small label on her enclosure, I doubt I would have spotted it half hidden amongst the leaves of a branch. Incredibly, an ootheca can hold up to 100 eggs.