Carne Griffith's ICONS Series on Bockingford

 

Dive into the captivating world of Carne Griffiths' ICONS series, where the artist breathes new life into legendary figures of the 20th century. Through a unique blend of ink, tea, and alcohol, Griffiths captures not just likeness, but the very essence of these iconic individuals. In this blog post, we delve into the artist's creative process, exploring the inspiration behind the series, the significance of his chosen subjects, and the pivotal role of Bockingford® paper in his intricate technique.

Carne, what inspired you to create a series of ICONS?

I have been painting portraits for nearly 15 years now, but up to this point I have mainly steered away from famous portraits, or even been concerned with including recognisable people within my work. The ICONS series came about because I wanted the challenge of bringing my usual style of work to influential figures of the 20th century.

Doing so has presented a completely different challenge within my work, where capturing not just a likeness but the spirit or essence of the individual character within my painting.  My aim with the ICONS series is to create a series of 52 portraits focusing on 20th Century ICONS , which I will eventually use to create an exhibition and a deck of cards featuring all 52 portraits.

Which piece from the ICONS series holds the most personal significance for you, and why?

Out of those painted so far, the Bowie piece definitely resonates the most.  I grew up surrounded by his music and his creativity provided a background to my youth.  What I love about Bowie is the changing personality and the way he created characters throughout his career,  I tried to select a reference image that was closer to the man himself than to one of his portrayed characters.  The hush image just seemed perfect to capture his spirit and I really like the way the piece played out.

Your work, including the ICONS series, heavily features Bockingford® paper. What qualities of Bockingford® paper make it so essential to your artistic process, especially when working with ink, tea and alcohol?

Yes, about 95% of all work I create uses Bockingford® watercolour paper.  I was lucky to discover this paper early on and it had a huge effect on how I create my work.  Bockingford® seems to handle the materials I use in a very different way to other papers.  There is a vibrancy and a crispness to the work that I just cannot achieve with other watercolour papers.  I use the 535gsm CP (NOT) paper and I normally stretch this on an open aluminium frame, this allows me to dry the paper from the back and to occasionally embroider elements through the back of the paper while stretched.

The process I use involves more of a staining than a painting of colours.  I pile on a lot of liquids, teas, alcohols you name it, and the surface of the paper just holds up every time. The depth of colour is achieved by the slow absorption of these liquids and only Bockingford® paper will give me the desired effect with the dye colours and liquids that I use, it is also really important to me that the surface of the paper holds up after applying these liquids, as the next part of my process is to draw over the work with fountain pen inks.   I find that Bockingford® will maintain a crisp line more so than others I have tried, and to be honest I haven't felt the desire or need to move away from this paper in 15 years!

What do you hope viewers take away from experiencing your ICONS series? What emotional or intellectual response are you aiming for?

ICONS is a fun light hearted series and the people who connect with these pieces will probably be the same ones that have a feeling of nostalgia, or are fans in some way of the portrait painted.

Most of my studio work is about creating a dialogue about our relationship with nature and though this is an underlying theme in all my work, the ICONS series is definitely a more playful approach that focuses more on this nostalgia and celebrity. I hope the work creates a dialogue about what we consider an icon to be and for me this is very much a visual thing.  I don't really believe that someone can be considered iconic without a very strong visual presence.  I know that people will be disappointed if someone doesn't make the list, but the further through the series I go the more fun it will be to have the conversation about who will be painted next!

Links

If you would like to follow the creation of the rest of the ICONS series, sign up to Carne’s socials or subscribe to his website for updates.

www.carnegriffiths.com/ 

www.instagram.com/carnegriff

www.facebook.com/CarneGriffiths

www.youtube.com/@100sqft 

x.com/carnegriffiths 

To explore more about the range of Bockingford® paper visit our website.

Artist Interview: Cindy Wider

 

We talked to Cindy Wider, a celebrated Australian artist and author, about her exciting new children's book. Known for her dedication to fostering creativity, Cindy is now sharing her artistic vision with young readers through an enchanting tale filled with whimsical characters and colourful illustrations. Cindy shares her inspiration, creative process, and why she loves Saunders Waterford®. 

Cindy, tell us about your art practice and your journey to get to where you are now.

I was born in Brisbane Australia and grew up on the island of Papua New Guinea. I’ve been a full-time artist, illustrator, author and online drawing mentor for over 32 years (since the age of 23.) I’m the founder of DrawPj.com and Cindy’s Drawing Club where I present my ‘learn-to-draw and colour’ videos, books and mentoring online. 

I teach mostly retired women around my age; 55 and over, from a selection of 7 different mediums and 5 art styles (depending on their own unique areas of gifting, interests and needs.) Just over 7 years ago I began to transition from the world of fine art (where I was award-winning and gallery-represented) into the wonderful world of children’s picture book writing and illustrating. It’s been a huge transition and nothing at all like I first expected. I surrounded myself with some amazing experts in the industry who have helped me along the way. My first children’s book has just been published!

What was the inspiration for your children’s book? 

My husband and I, along with our two young daughters moved to England in 2013 to live nearer to his parents and family. It was so different to the endless blue skies, bright, tropical foliage and white sandy beaches of the great Australian beach lifestyle that had inspired my subject matter as a fine artist. At first, I struggled to make a connection to place in England.

After a short while, however, I soon became fascinated with the tiny details, textures and patterns like the rows of stone walls neatly dividing the hillsides. They looked just like giant patchwork quilts. Then there were the cute stone cottages with their snow-capped chimneys and warm glowing lights shining out from the windows. I was in awe of seeing real Holly and Ivy growing in the streets. I felt like I was stepping into a real-life children’s picture book that I’d read and enjoyed so much as a child.

Then, when we visited the Lake District, I experienced this deep nostalgic feeling of mystery and wonder. My imagination from my childhood suddenly awakened and came alive! I began thinking of all the little animals that might be living there and the exciting adventures they might go on. 

The very first characters I created were soft, fluffy little clothed anthropomorphic kittens. I always had a cat growing up, so it made sense to begin there. I called them the ‘Cuddleecats’. The rest is history. I was smitten by the world of children’s picture book illustration. 

Here I am today with my first Children’s book just published 7 years after leaving England. This book is the first in a series of Cuddleecats books that I intend will follow, and it’s titled ‘Mummy’s  Biggest, Best Birthday Surprise Ever!’ 

The setting of the book is an imaginary place called ‘Cuddleton Village.’ It’s a very special place deep in the English Woodlands. A place where no human has ever been. The stylisation is inspired by the golden age of illustration with a vintage feel and a touch of modern times sprinkled in.

Do you have any tips for other artists looking to be self-published?

I’ve published my own book because I had a very specific artistic vision that I wanted to accomplish. My biggest tip (if you choose to self-publish) is to be prepared to surround yourself with experienced professionals if possible. For example, you’ll need an editor, a book designer, a reliable and quality printing company. It’s a great idea to be a member of various organisations to support you with things such as learning resources, networking opportunities, community support, information on how to price your illustrations etc. I highly recommend SCBWI (the Society of Children’s Book Writes and Illustrators) and ASA (Australian Society of Authors), which is for illustrators as well. 

What is your go-to paper for illustration, and what qualities in paper are important for your work? 

My absolute favourite paper is Saunders Waterford Hot Pressed High White 425gsm (200lb). I have very carefully chosen this specific paper after many experimentations because I need a paper that is robust, reliable and smooth enough to allow a beautiful even spread of colour. My chosen paper also needs to have enough texture to hold several layers of colour; first inks and then once dried coloured pencil on top. My favourite thing about Saunders Waterford is that there are no surprises in the texture; I can rely on it to perform for me time and time again. 

Cindy Wider’s Cuddleecats book ‘Mummy’s Biggest, Best Birthday Surprise Ever!' is available for purchase on her website www.cindywider.com.

For more information about Cindy’s Classes and mentoring: 

drawpj.com

Links

www.youtube.com/@CindyWiderArtist 

www.instagram.com/cindywider

www.facebook.com/DrawPj

www.facebook.com/CindyWiderArtist

To learn about our Saunders Waterford range, visit our website.

Artist Interview: Julie Collins

 

Award winning artist Julie Collins, author of ‘The Colour Mixing Companion, ‘The Colour Mixing Guide, Watercolour Botanicals’ and ‘Colour Demystified’ and a member of the Society of Women Artists talks through the art of glazing in watercolours.

Glazing is the most important technique that I use in my painting. It is a wonderful way to create depth and interest in your watercolour paintings. If you look at the painting ‘Invisible Moon’ the foreground is created by painting multiple layers of paint which adds a depth and mystery to the painting.

Invisible Moon by Julie Collins 
on CP 638gsm Saunders Waterford 

The transparency of the paint is crucial for this method to work well. Each layer, or glaze, must be allowed to dry thoroughly before the next layer of paint is applied. The glazes must be very transparent so that the underlayers shine through. It is possible to use opaque paint which is thinly mixed, but transparent and semi-transparent watercolour works best. The result is that the colours are mixed by the eye, and an element of mystery and atmosphere can be created in your paintings. A simple example is if you paint a layer of yellow, allow it to dry and paint a red glaze on top it will appear as an orange – but a much more interesting orange than if you had simply painted an orange layer of paint.

Hestia by Julie Collins

In ‘Hestia’ I painted various red, pink and orange glazes to give an interesting background for the figure to stand in. Similarly, in ‘Sister Mary’ I painted at least 5 glazes of colour until I was satisfied with the depth of the red and blue areas in the painting. You will notice that when you paint the colour will seem much brighter when the paint is wet. This is another example of where glazing is useful as when it is dry you can paint another layer of paint to strengthen the colour.

Beach Huts by Julie Collins
on Saunders Waterford CP 638gsm

Glazing is useful in so many ways. If like me, you often feel intimidated by a sheet of pure white paper, you can over this by painting a light glaze as a background over the entire surface. This underlayer then has the effect of unifying the whole painting. When I started ‘Beach Huts’, I painted the entire surface with one colour which gives a unity to the picture and gave a good background to begin working with.

Solent Summer by Julie Collins
on Saunders Waterford CP 638gsm

The glazing technique is often used for landscapes and skies, see the example ‘Solent Summer’ where I have used glazing to add depth and luminosity to this landscape. Glazing will create luminosity in a way that can’t be achieved in other watercolour techniques.

Calm Before the Storm
by Julie Collins
on Saunders Waterford CP 638gsm

Several glazes or layers of paint will give depth and creates an illusion of space in a painting. In the painting ‘Calm before the storm’ I have used more complex glazing to give depth to the picture. Here I have painted large and small areas of glazes, and I gave myself plenty of time in between to consider how the painting was working out.

Saunders Waterford is robust enough to take many glazes. This paper produces a wonderful texture with each layer of paint, and the watercolour glides nicely across the surface, making it an ideal paper for glazing. My favourite paper is the Saunders Waterford CP (NOT) surface 638gsm(300lb) as I love working on heavy paper.

To find out more about Julie Collins visit:

www.juliecollins.co.uk

www.instagram.com/juliecollinsart 

‘The Colour Mixing Companion, ‘The Colour Mixing Guide, Watercolour Botanicals’ and ‘Colour Demystified’ books by Julie Collins are available through Search Press. 
 

About Julie Collins

Julie studied BA Hons Painting at the University of Reading 1980-84. She has received numerous awards for her work, including the ING Discerning Eye, three awards from the Royal Watercolour Society and has twice received the prestigious 1st prize for watercolour at the Royal West of England Academy. During 2021 Julie was elected a member of the Society of Women Artists, a Member of the SWA Council and RWA Network Member.  Julie has written seven art books to date, ‘Colour Demystified’ was published by Search Press in August. Her latest book, ‘The Colour Mixing Companion’ was published May 2023 and can be seen for sale at Tate Modern, Tate Britain and Kew Gardens. Julie is currently working on three new watercolour books to be published 2025-2026.

To learn about our Saunders Waterford range, visit our website.

Artist Interview: Bronwyn Royce

 

Miniature watercolour artist, Bronwyn Royce, tells us about her journey as an artist, and what led her to create her enchanting miniature paintings. Bronwyn shares useful tips for aspiring miniature watercolour artists and about her favourite paper, Bockingford® Cold Pressed.

Bronwyn Royce is an ambassador for Princeton Brush and posts regularly on Instagram where she has a large following.

By Bronwyn Royce on Bockingford

Tell us about your art practice and your journey to get to where you are now.

My art journey started in Cape Town, South Africa in 1999 when a friend invited me to join her for a watercolour art class. I doubted I was capable of creating anything worthwhile, especially with only 10% vision in my left eye, but I was instantly hooked.

When I immigrated to the UK in 2007, I set my paints aside for almost 10 years to take up full-time employment in order to get my British Passport. A combination of a massive life-changing curveball thrown at my family in 2012 when my oldest son was very seriously injured in Afghanistan, together with unexpectedly being made redundant at the end of 2016, forced me to ponder life and the importance of doing what I love. I took a year off to write a book ‘One step in a poppy field’, sharing the tragic details of how life can be changed in an instant.

By then it was time to follow my heart, and in 2018 I launched my business, Pigments Art. My art has become my therapy!

By Bronwyn Royce on Bockingford

What initially drew you to the medium of watercolour miniatures?

I have tried painting with most other mediums, but watercolours will always be my preference. When I started going to art classes, it soon became apparent that I loved to add as much detail as possible.

Encouraged by my younger son, in 2018 I joined Instagram and challenged myself to complete a painting a day over the next year. Some days I was pressed to get a large piece done in time so, looking for what I assumed to be a less labour intensive option, I ventured into the fascinating world of miniature painting. My compulsion to fit as much detail into my work has meant that sometimes these tiny paintings take me longer to complete than a large painting, but the response I have had to my little artworks has been unexpected and very humbling.

By Bronwyn Royce on Bockingford

Can you describe your typical process for creating a watercolour miniature, from initial sketch to finished piece?

I constantly look for inspiration for my miniatures, whether it’s during my daily walks, or from a photograph I see. I do a lot of research online to get ideas and will often take elements from a few images, combine them, adding my own touch. Once I have decided what to paint, I will choose the shape to paint, be it a circle, a square, a rectangle, or my favourite, which I call breaking boundaries, which is when part of the painting escapes from the border. I then do a very basic pencil sketch just to give some idea of placement of shapes but, with miniatures, the area is so small that in fact pencil lines are too thick to be able to draw much. My finer details are only achievable because of the miniature paintbrushes I use, which vary in size, but the smallest I currently use is an 18/0 Velvetouch from Princeton Brush.

By Bronwyn Royce on Bockingford

How do you approach capturing detail and realism in such a small format?

It is important to recognise that often not every detail can be included, especially in a more detailed piece, so choosing the best bits is sometimes enough to give the full impression.

What qualities were you looking for in paper when you chose Bockingford?

Bockingford CP was first introduced to me by my art teacher in 1999, as she felt it was the most forgiving paper for her students. I started on 190gsm paper, but soon progressed to 300gsm when I became more competent in my work, and I have continued to use it ever since. 

When I started painting miniatures, I was encouraged by other miniature artists to try smoother papers, but I never got on with them and I always revert to Bockingford.

By Bronwyn Royce on Bockingford

What advice would you give to aspiring artists interested in creating watercolour miniatures?

Perseverance is key. Initially the tiny details seem almost impossible to create but with practice, hand and eye become coordinated. A steady hand is essential though, as well as a magnifier of sorts for the very tiny details. I sometimes use a free-standing 2X magnifying glass in order to touch up the finer sections.


Links 

To learn more about Bronwyn Royce visit:

www.instagram.com/pigmentsart/

pigments-art.myshopify.com/

 
To explore more about the range of Bockingford paper visit our website.

Saunders Waterford High White

 

Saunders Waterford High White is a premium watercolour paper renowned for its exceptional quality and brilliant whiteness.

Artists love how its bright white surface enhances the vibrancy of watercolour pigments and shows highlights on a subject.

Whether you're a seasoned artist or a beginner, Saunders Waterford High White offers the ideal canvas for your creations. The shade is meticulously created by our papermakers, with it being a demanding shade for them to achieve, as no OBA’s (optical brightening agents) are used to make this archival grade white.

The shade is fade resistant so artists can be confident leaving portions of the paper left unpainted, without the colour of these areas changing over time.

Find out from professional artists, who use Saunders Waterford High White, what they enjoy about the paper.

David Bellamy 

David Bellamy is a renowned British watercolourist celebrated for his expressive landscapes and seascapes, often capturing the dramatic beauty of the British Isles.

“Portraying the light is the most paramount ingredient in a painting, and for watercolourists Saunders Waterford High White provides that essential vitality I need in a watercolour paper.”

Soraya French

Soraya French is a contemporary artist known for her bold and expressive paintings, often exploring themes of identity, memory, and the human condition.

“As a colourist I love working on high white paper which helps me to get the most vibrancy from my mediums be it inks, watercolour or acrylics.”

Joris Munier

Joris Munier is a talented illustrator and St Cuthberts Mill ambassador, known for his whimsical and detailed illustrations often inspired by people and nature.

“As watercolour is all about transparency, the Saunders Waterford High White paper allow me to have the brightest results on my paintings.”

Emma Tildesley

St Cuthberts Mill Ambassador, Emma Tildesley is a talented botanical and nature artist, known for her meticulous watercolour and coloured pencil illustrations that capture the intricate details of the natural world.

“As a botanical artist I don’t use white paints and pigments, I use the white of my paper to show highlights on a subject. Saunders Waterford High White is the perfect choice for this as the paper is a true bright white that gives me clean, brilliant highlights every time.”

Links

To find out more about the Saunders Waterford range, please visit our website.

View more of the artists' work by following these links:

www.davidbellamy.co.uk 

www.sorayafrench.com 

www.joris-munier.com

emmatildesley.com

Reduction Linocut Printing with Martin Truefitt-Baker

 

Fine art printmaker and painter, Martin Truefitt-Baker, a fan of Somerset® Satin, shares with us his special techniques of reduction linocut printing.

Martin is a renowned artist working in Wales celebrated for his exquisite lino-cut prints. His work, deeply rooted in the stunning landscapes of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, captures the essence of the Welsh countryside with remarkable detail and sensitivity.


Martin’s prints, often featuring local wildlife including owls, foxes, and badgers, are renowned for their intricate lines, rich textures, and evocative use of colour.

'Kingfisher, Evening Rain'

His dedication to traditional printmaking techniques, including the meticulous process of reduction linocut, combined with a keen eye for nature's beauty, has earned him a dedicated following among art enthusiasts and collectors alike.

The process of reduction lino printing involves rounds of cutting and overprinting onto paper.  The surface of the same piece of lino is progressively carved away for each layer of printing.

Martin typically uses 5 or 6 layers of cutting and printing, after that he feels the image starts to lose the interesting graphic look, that he likes. He starts with the lightest tones and works through to the darkest, often blending colours on the lino block itself. The entire process, from design to final edition of prints, can take several weeks.

‘Magpies’ process from painting to print

'Magpie Silver'

Unusually for Martin, this design actually started out as a painting in its own right. He started by carefully observing the magpies in their natural habitat, noting their behavior and distinctive features. Despite the challenges of capturing their quick movements, he sketched the birds, paying close attention to the iridescence of their feathers. He developed a formal composition, featuring five magpies as the central focus, set against a backdrop of a hedge with ivy berries and a distant hill. The final painting, executed in acrylics on linen, aimed to capture the beauty and complexity of the birds and their natural setting. This work was subsequently selected for the prestigious Natural Eye Exhibition.

This is the final painted design for the linocut print. 

Reduction linocut steps 

There are many ways of designing for linocutting. Martin has developed a method that works for him and his style and subject matter. The design is worked out mainly in a range of tones of blue and painted in blue acrylic. Each of these tones, from light to dark, corresponds to a round of cutting the lino and overprinting.

'Bluebell Fox'

“Why do I design my linocuts in blue?”

“The main reason is, I just find it works for me! I'm sure others may have their own preferences. It seems easier for me to mix a consistent range of blue tones. Think of those tricky greenish tones you can wander in to when you darken yellows, reds go to pink when you lighten them!”

Martin uses graphite paper to transfer the image of the areas to be cut away, from the design, to the lino for each layer of cutting and printing to the lino. 

The lino is cut with different sizes and shapes of gouges or a craft knife. The white areas are cut away and the lightest colours are printed for the first layer. For each subsequent layer more lino is cut away and the colours used become darker.  At the end of printing all that is left of the lino are the parts that print the (near) black parts of the design. 

Rollers are used to apply a very thin layer of ink to the surface of the lino each time it is printed. It’s important not to apply too thick a layer of ink, otherwise the fine carved details can become filled.

It is very important to make sure that the lino prints in exactly the same place on each piece of paper, so that the layers line up properly. 

Martin now uses an etching/multiprint press to produce his prints.  “You can just use a metal spoon or other smooth object to make a simple print, rubbing/burnishing the back of the paper to press the ink onto the paper, so expensive equipment isn’t always necessary.”

On completing the print, he says, “I had planned for the print to take five layers of cutting and printing, but it ended up with six. The darker areas of the foreground needed more subtlety.

I always find greens difficult to get right in my prints. Ivy leaves are quite bluish, but it was a struggle to get them right in comparison to the blue greys in the rest of the image. I hope I've got somewhere near to the sheen on the tail of a magpie in the final print.” 

Cutting the lino

Brighter colours for the tail

Third layer

Layer one

Layer two

Layer three

Layer four

Layer five

This is a one-minute video of some of the techniques and processes involved in making the Magpie Silver print.

Printmaking Paper

When it comes to choosing paper for his prints, Martin shares, “I use Somerset® Satin White 300gsm for my editions. It suits the way I work perfectly and gives consistently great results. The texture and sizing take the ink smoothly with no bleeding. The clean white colour, with no optical brightener and archival quality, gives a professional finish to  my work. The absorbency is just right allowing for multiple layers of printing. The surface is strong, but the paper is also very flexible.”

'Blustery Day Badger'

'Red Kite Over Snow'

Links

To see more of Martin Truefitt-Baker’s artwork, visit:

www.truefitt-baker.co.uk/

www.instagram.com/truefittbakerart/

www.facebook.com/martin.truefittbakerart 

To learn more about Somerset printmaking papers visit our website.

(For advice on choosing rollers see Martin’s blog www.truefitt-baker.co.uk/post/printing-rollers-choosing-use)

Martin Truefitt-Baker calendar for the RSPB