Dale Devereux- Barker
I was immediately drawn to this artist's work. It is bold and colourful and attracts the eye. He successfully exploits the graphic quality to which linocut lends itself well.
On the website I found work which includes a variety of subject matter varying from still life, to figurative portrayal of people swimming to completely abstract works.
Some of his abstract works use a gridded structure for example This untitled work seen here on the artist's website . The print is in share format measuring 25cm by 25cm. It is subdivided into a grid of 5cm squares (therefore 25 squares in total). He has used yellow orange and black which creates a dramatic tonal contrast. He uses linear elements of varying thickness, some traits and some following the curves shapes of abstract forms within the composition.
Abstract shapes link neighbouring grid squares and often the colour or surface patterning of these elements changes when they overlap two squares on transitioning from one square to another - this the grid structure is maintained and there is a playful use of positive and negative shapes.
The shapes themselves seem to respond to each other. Some can be interpreted for example as stylised vessel forms. Others appear more organic, resembling a kidney or a hand or a rudimentary body.
Overall the combination of bold colours, tonal contrast and the balance of the various elements make this an eye-catching print.
His use of colour in the Swimmers series for me seems reminiscent of 1960's to 1970's psychedelia. These linocuts and lithographs are again on a square format. The colours are very bold and bright. They are a combination of figuration and abstract design elements. Water is suggested by circles, rippled lines and small spirals. The roof of the swimming pool is suggested by a converging grid pattern.
Devereux-Barker employs forced or distorted perspective in these prints with with arms, legs or feet often arranged diagonally or in a bold central position which makes for dynamic compositions which seem fitting for the movement depicted. The swimmers' hands and feet appear disproportionately large as a result of this distortion. This also plays on the fact that successful swimmers often have large hands and feet. His print 'A Certain Mr Phelps' portrays the multi-olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps as having enormous hands extended in front of him. Each hand appears large than his torso.
There are also a number of linocut still lives on his website. These also have altered perspective and are partially abstracted, they employ bold primary and secondary colours. Often for example, the perspective of the table top is altered or the ellipses of vessels are not true ellipses. This approach is reminiscent of Picasso's linocut still lives.
From this artist I have learnt that it is possible to use very bold colour choices in linocut and this can make for great impact in the final image. Also I find his use of altered perspective very interesting and that could be something to experiment with.
https://www.scarlette-homeshaw.com/yorkshire-collection
Devereux-Barker employs forced or distorted perspective in these prints with with arms, legs or feet often arranged diagonally or in a bold central position which makes for dynamic compositions which seem fitting for the movement depicted. The swimmers' hands and feet appear disproportionately large as a result of this distortion. This also plays on the fact that successful swimmers often have large hands and feet. His print 'A Certain Mr Phelps' portrays the multi-olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps as having enormous hands extended in front of him. Each hand appears large than his torso.
There are also a number of linocut still lives on his website. These also have altered perspective and are partially abstracted, they employ bold primary and secondary colours. Often for example, the perspective of the table top is altered or the ellipses of vessels are not true ellipses. This approach is reminiscent of Picasso's linocut still lives.
From this artist I have learnt that it is possible to use very bold colour choices in linocut and this can make for great impact in the final image. Also I find his use of altered perspective very interesting and that could be something to experiment with.
Scarlette Homeshaw
My tutor suggested that I look at the work of Scarlette Homeshaw. This was great because I have had the good fortune to see Scarlette's work first hand and to meet the artist when I attended a linocut course at West Yorkshire Print Workshop.
Scarlette, a previous winner of the flourish award for excellence in printmaking is currently based in West Yorkshire. She is inspired by the local architecture and industrial heritage. She uses photographic references to create her prints (I think she takes the photographs herself), but she does not slavishly reproduce the photographs, especially when it comes to the colour scheme.
Scarlette converse her photographic references to grayscale images using a photocopier so that she will be influenced only by the tonal values but not by the colours of the original source. She elects colours freely and also adds patterning which sometimes departs significantly from the photographic source.
Her prints vary in size and format and may have 16-20 layers to them and she rarely uses black. She takes great pleasure in mixing up jewel-like bright colours using lithographic ink. Her imaginative colour schemes are very attractive.
During the course she showed us her method of registration which involves using a simple registration sheet with an outline of the plate size and an outline of the paper size and always aligning the paper and the plate to a selected corner. I found this immensely difficult and was very nervous about dropping the paper onto the plate as it always seemed to shift slightly from where I had intended it to go. I am in awe of her ability to achieve great registration over so many layers with this straightforward technique.
I found her technique of using a greyscale image to identify areas of similar tonal values and ignoring the original colour scheme both practical and liberating and will continue to use this technique going forwards.
Her prints vary in size and format and may have 16-20 layers to them and she rarely uses black. She takes great pleasure in mixing up jewel-like bright colours using lithographic ink. Her imaginative colour schemes are very attractive.
During the course she showed us her method of registration which involves using a simple registration sheet with an outline of the plate size and an outline of the paper size and always aligning the paper and the plate to a selected corner. I found this immensely difficult and was very nervous about dropping the paper onto the plate as it always seemed to shift slightly from where I had intended it to go. I am in awe of her ability to achieve great registration over so many layers with this straightforward technique.
I found her technique of using a greyscale image to identify areas of similar tonal values and ignoring the original colour scheme both practical and liberating and will continue to use this technique going forwards.
References:
https://www.daledevereuxbarker.co.uk/linocutshttps://www.scarlette-homeshaw.com/yorkshire-collection
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