Project 2022: Drystone walls
Not a topic that I haven’t included in my portfolio of work before but one that I continue to return to as a local inspiration. For my first four years in Purbeck I lived in a property with a boundary of walls on three of four sides. I saw walls everyday at home and on walks, cycle rides, drives.
Drystone walls have got my interest previously in a variety of geographical areas. I didn’t live in an area with walls before moving to Dorset. Through reading about our area and local stone I have become aware of a range of walling styles and like spotting them.
Because I like to start with pen line drawings the structure of drystone walls present a good drawing challenge.
I started revisiting linocut printing at the end of 2021 and intend to develop my skills further in 2022. I am conscious that my designs need to simplify initially and then develop them alongside my printing skills. Walls offer a way to do this as they come in a range of designs and complexity.
So, my first Project 2022 –
First, revisit photos taken in Purbeck since 2016 and identify suitable drystone wall images
Secondly, draw line drawings of different examples. Today I did much more on this than I had expected and finished six pieces to add to the one I did the other day.
I am up to photos from June 2020 so still have more current photos to go through and will draw as I find distinct wall styles. I then intend to go back to previous photos from other areas and look for examples hat I might also draw.
Thirdly, working on Linocutting techniques that include planning the cut drawing that needs to be reversed (an aspect I tend to forget currently), thinking in a negative form on what to cut and what will print.
No more steps planning, I will repost as this project develops.
Previous portfolio pieces:
