Lino cuts (Version 2)

Version 2 I ran into trouble trying to get photos ito the last version of blog. So I hope this works

After months away, I am back at South Hill Park at my weekly printing class. And enjoying it no end.   I discovered that just about every Lino block I did in 2018 needed more work on it. So I started with a picture of Osaka which was originally in colour and wondered what it would look like in just black. (See below). I think the black is better.

 

As a backup, I started working on lino block based on the garden at our cottage at Anglesey. When I looked at the block, I realised some areas on the block had not been completed and the only trial print had been in black. So I tried three colours and it looked like it might just work if I choose the colours right. So this week I tried out a fluorescent pink and it worked!! I printed several sheets and then added some red to the pink and that was better. So several pulls later, I declared this block completed and went home to look for the next block which I think is another view of the Port of Osaka.

The brown one was an early trial.

Making the Image

I have signed up for another photography course run o0n line from Vancouver. The tutor is David duChemin whom I have long admired. However  - - - - -. It lasts a year and most of the other students` work is very high class with the result that I spend most of my time grumbling to Dorothy. Well, I have had to stop grumbling because Dorothy got a bit exasperated.

As an example, this week's mission is to take photos each day for 30 minutes, pick 12 best and file them. Except I have not filed anything yet and am not likely to. Everyone else is marching to qa different drummer. So I choose a new venue each day and go and take photos. So I have done Ufton Nervet woods, Kennet and Avon Canal beside The Cunning Man, our garden, Hadleys, Junction11 in the M4. On the list are the Wokingham market and my lino cut class.

Hadleys is a strange place. A sort of dump/recycling and it is enormous and very strongly fenced and fortified.At this moment it has a load of dismantled cranes piled up which is fairly near the main gate. So I lurked at the open gate and took photos. Quite fun but I could do with getting inside.

The Jn 11 I have always wanted to visit. What I mean is the system of footbridges which enable people to get from Three Mile Cross to the business park at the entrance to Reading. Well I did my best. See below.

Junction 11 above

Hadleys

I would love to know what you thought

Walsingham

The wifi went bananas at our hotel and I never got round to writing about Walsingham. I was surprised to find bus loads of people walking round the village (?). There a shrine there to Our Lady of Walsingham which is new (Victorian). These were all pilgrims. I on the other had come to see the ruins of which there was not much. left. The crypt and a single arch and several lumps of masonry in a green space.

And in the grounds, a packhorse bridge!!
And then home. The next day I went to Kings Lynn on the way home. It was pouring and the town is very unattractive. Everything I wanted to see was closed for renovation. There was only one ship at the Customs Quay and nothing else visible up and down the river except miles away where there seemed to be some yachts. I did go to True's Yard Museum where a bound book (by me) was on display. The Museum was devoted to the lives (Victorian) of the fisherfolk.

And then I droved home by way of the A1(M) and A25 and A4. I have not been on the A1 for 20 years and it still is this awful mixture of motorway and ordinary road complete with traffic lights and  roundabouts and a huge amount of lorry traffic.

I was  very taken with the seaside bit. I still feel pleased at my photographs and would like to go back for longer. Dorothy thinks she would like to go back and just paint, rather than do a course. So maybe year we might take a cottage.

And now today (Saturday) I  must put some effort into the garden, not the least to take some good photos. We have a few stunning rarities into a geranium which is enormous.

Holkam Beach and Walsingham Abbey

Holkham Beach is magic except they charge a lot for parking the car and cleaned me out. Anyway I walked in the forest and on the sand dunes. Mostly people walking their dogs, not tourists. It must get swamped in holiday time. I just walked about and took photos.

Norfolk

Dorothy is here on a painting course for a few days and I came along as a hanger on to do some photography. Today I toured the local coastal villages and ended up at Brancaster #Staithe and at its harbour which is very muddy. I ended up in wellies and had to scrape two inches of mud off my sandals. However I admit to reading a lot about composition recently and tried to put my reading into practice. So I got a lot of much better than usual photos.