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

Artist Interview: Sasha Compton

 

Artist and designer Sasha Compton speaks about the interconnectivity between her ceramics, printmaking and drawing, and her love for St Cuthberts Mill Somerset paper.

Sasha Compton is a British artist who creates a variety of hand-built and painted ceramics, giclée prints, tiles, lino prints, lampshades, and original art. Her work has been featured in lifestyle magazines including Country Life, Homes & Gardens, and Tatler.

Prints on Somerset by Sasha Compton

Sasha - tell us about your practice and your journey to get to where you are now.

I have always been creative from a young age and have wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember. I was brought up in a creative family in the countryside, if I wasn’t outdoors, I was always making something in my mum’s studio. At a young age I felt I could express myself better through visuals than words (I later found out I was dyslexic). At school, art, textiles and ceramics were my best subjects and I was awarded an art scholarship at the age of 15.

I went on to Central St Martins (UAL) for an Art foundation where I learnt about conceptual art and the importance of ideas, beforehand traditional skills and research had played a huge part in my creative journey. I specialised in illustration at CSM. I then went on to Chelsea College of Art (UAL) to study a BA in Graphic Design Communication, where again I focussed on branding and illustration, I always had more of a physical approach to briefs than my peers who were very digitally focused. This worried me at the time but now I am grateful to be able to do both.

After completing my degree, I did a year of London-based internships in the creative industry ranging from advertising, graphics, textiles, and fashion. I worked as a Graphic Designer for 7 years and settled at a fashion company in Amsterdam working my way up to a Senior level. I got to a point where I wanted to do my own thing and create / design for something I fully believed in. I always kept my art going and as interest grew, I decided to focus on being a self-employed Artist / Designer in 2020. I now take on a number of design commissions a year as well as creating art full-time and love having a mixture of art and design in my creative practise and life. I feel it is the best of both worlds and I try to use my skills and experience to my best ability; straddling the role of an Artist / Designer.

Can you describe your creative process and where you find inspiration for your work?

For my personal art I am inspired by what I know best; nature, classical art and colour. I am particularly engaged in the idea of mixing old with new in a joyful way, so I love traditional topics that are recreated with a fresh colourful perspective. The beauty of nature always amazes me, as does the power of colour and positivity. I am very inspired by hand made, crafted objects – seeing a human mark or imperfection on something makes the item so much more special and unique in my eyes and I try to bring this into my art by working freehand or using unpredictable materials or techniques.

Do your artistic practices in ceramics, printmaking, and drawing influence and interconnect with one another, or do you treat each medium as separate and independent from the rest?

They do interconnect yes! I sketch a lot. Before making a ceramic artwork, I will always sketch my designs and these freehand illustrations often end up as prints (or recently tiles for my Ca Pietra collaboration). I see my work as one voice in different mediums, and enjoy exploring the different wags of showing an idea. Sometimes I prefer the sketches to the ceramic work, and sometimes what I paint on a plate might work really well transformed into a lino print. Of course, not everything works out but that playful exploration is a significant part of my process. I have to play around a lot to get to end result and that makes my journey more exciting for me. 

With your printmaking and drawing, what are your go-to papers to use and why?

Being a lover of imperfections and character, I use a textured paper with deckled edges (or hand deckle the paper myself). St Cuthberts Mill Somerset range is my ‘go to’ range. The 500g radiant white textured paper is great for drawing and painting, I love the deckled edges. And 175g soft white book is a great paper for printing where I can get print easily with the thinner weight of paper.

You have done a lot of collaborations with various companies and artists – what has been your most exciting project to date?

I feel so lucky, I am proud of all my collaborations! So grateful for all the support I have had so far. Collaborations have helped me push my boundaries and I love working with other creatives, it’s a nice change from being a one-woman business. Recently I painted an egg for the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations which was on show in Chelsea via the Elephant Family. The egg was inspired by a Faberge egg and Faberge saw it on show and requested it for a Faberge exhibition, this was so special to me. I have also been commissioned by some incredible interior designers such as Martin Brudnizki for a couple of hand-painted projects which I loved every second of, it was so inspiring and an amazing opportunity!

If you could collaborate with any artist, living or deceased, on a project, who would it be, and what kind of project would you want to work on together?

Wow, that’s a tricky question. Some of my favourite artists ever are Grayson Perry, David Hockney, Picasso (his ceramics in particular) and Venessa Bell. So, a messy studio day with any of them would be dreamy. I would love to do a silk scarf collaboration or something textile based as I always feel my work would translate well onto fabrics, or perhaps paint a huge mural somewhere unusual! I loved doing the light installation at Frameless Gallery, a new challenge is always appealing to me.

Prints on Somerset by Sasha Compton

Links

www.sashacompton.com

www.instagram.com/sashacompton_design

To learn more about Somerset printmaking papers visit our website.

Article originated by The Gallery at Green & Stone, as part of their 'Works on Paper' exhibition. Our thanks to them for allowing us to replicate the piece.

Prints on Somerset by Sasha Compton

Colour-lifting Techniques with David Poxon

 

Have you ever wished you could remove or lighten a stroke of watercolour without completely ruining your painting? Colour-lifting is a powerful technique that allows artists to manipulate and refine their work with precision. In this blog post, we'll delve into the art of colour-lifting, guided by the expertise of renowned watercolourist David Poxon RI NWS.

David Poxon, a master of the watercolour medium, shares his invaluable insights and techniques for achieving stunning colour-lifting effects.

What are some creative uses for colour-lifting in your artwork?

It is not possible to make all your compositional or tactical choices for ‘Pure Watercolour’ from the beginning. Retaining some flexibility lets you enjoy the process more without getting stressed that you have wrecked your painting. With the ‘Pure Watercolour’ method preserving white paper for extreme high lights is necessary. However, adding lifting out techniques to your repertoire means that you have more possibilities as you travel through to a completed painting. Adding missing highlight details, and shaping the form of components in your painting can be very nicely achieved by lifting out.

By pure watercolour I mean no white paint and no black paint. Whites are the preserved white paper.

What are the different methods of colour-lifting on watercolour paper? Are there any specific brushes or tools that you recommend for colour-lifting?

Tools first; clean water, a stiff hogs hair brush (best to have a selection of various sizes), and clean kitchen roll. Masking tape also useful (but remove some of its extreme stickiness first, because you do not need to seriously stick it to your watercolour paper as it will damage or lift off colour i.e. loosely stick in position). Use masking tape to get clean edges to shapes. You can also use old watercolour paper or card to define the area you want to lift.

Method; identify the area you wish to lift paint from. Make sure the paint is dry first. Position any masking or scrap paper around the area you wish to lift. Using a barely damp stiff brush begin to ‘scrub’ at the painted area you want to lift. Wash the brush and semi dry with kitchen roll after each time you pass over the area you want to lift, then ‘dab’ the area with kitchen roll. This should start to remove paint – depending on how much paint is on the paper. If you need to lift more paint then wait for the paper to dry, then repeat the scrubbing/dabbing actions. Repeat until you have the result you need. Wait for the area to dry before deciding if you want to keep it as is – or you can glaze over with colour if you think you have overdone it.

How do you achieve a white or near-white highlight using colour-lifting?

It may not be possible to get back to the real white of the paper – depending on the paint you are trying to remove and how many layers. But you can get close with repeated scrubbing and dabbing.

You use Bockingford for your paintings – what qualities do you like about it?

I have used Bockingford CP (NOT) surface 425gsm (200lb) for many years. I always stretch the paper onto wooden boards. With my type of subjects I do not want the paper to warp or cockle, and need my drawing to be accurate (i.e. stay in the position). Additionally, many of the techniques I have developed over the years to enable me to create the illusions of texture and 3D effects on a 2D surface require a paper which is tough enough to withstand some fairly heavy treatment. As outlined above this paper also enables me to apply my lifting out techniques to steer the work in the direction I want it to go. It will withstand a lot of reworking and can take up to 24 layers of wash while still retaining luminosity.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when colour-lifting?

Impatience and not letting the paper area dry before each washing out cycle. Indecision – make sure you practice first – and are clear regarding the area you want to lift out! Good luck!

Watch the video:

Links

View more of David Poxon’s paintings at:

www.davidpoxon.co.uk

www.instagram.com/davidpoxonwatercolours/

www.facebook.com/davidpoxonwatercolour

To learn more about the International Watercolour Masters exhibition David is curating:

www.internationalwatercolourmasters.com

Read our artist interview with David Poxon.

To find out more about our Bockingford range visit our website.

Artist Interview: Curtis Holder

 

Curtis Holder tells us more about his work, after winning the Dry Based Medium prize at the ‘Works on paper’ exhibition at the Gallery at Green & Stone, with his drawing HIRSUTE III earlier this year. Curtis is a multi-award winning artist, including The Tom Coates Memorial Prize at this year’s Pastel Society Annual Exhibition, winning the Sky Portrait Artist of the Year in 2020, and a previous winner of the St Cuthberts Mill award at Wells Art Contemporary held in Wells Cathedral in 2022.


Can you tell us a little about yourself and your practice?

The focus of my practice is to use line to investigate motivations, connections and conversations through the passage of time. I work primarily in the medium of coloured and graphite pencils to create large-scale portraits and figurative works on paper.

Hirsute III by Curtis Holder

Ultimately my work aims to present an interpretation of the thoughts and feelings of others, as well as my own. I use my pencils to pose and answer difficult questions, in the hope of finding a resolution. My subjects sometimes sit uncomfortably within large amounts of negative space. These compositions enable me to feel free and to take up space in a way that I, and some of my subjects, feel unable to do in everyday life. The drawings document the thoughts and conversations of individuals who would otherwise be unlikely to give themselves room or permission to share this part of themselves.

My drawings emerge in a wayward series of febrile lines, which I layer to reveal a subject’s form, movement and emotional intent. Even if the marks initially appear erratic, when resolved, the drawings convey a stillness and calm. This contradiction leads the viewer, myself included, back to the work time and time again to unravel the threads that lead back to the core of the conversation.

Your work is large and involves multiple pencil layers, how do you start a piece like this, are there multiple sketches prior to starting?

I prefer to start every drawing with a conversation while I’m sketching the subject. It’s an opportunity to glimpse into their mind and make a personal connection. My goal is always to translate their emotions and the mood of our encounter onto paper, along with my own feelings and observations. I need to understand them a little, even if it’s fleeting, and I start to achieve this through quick preparatory drawings while secretly searching for more information.

From the initial conversation and sketches I will get a sense of how I want the work to feel, so it’s an emotionally driven process. Whatever feeling I have settled on influences all the key decisions: the composition, the colours and the intensity of the marks. I sketch out ideas for the composition, and when that’s decided I will get the model in position to set about working on the main piece.  Firstly, I do an underdrawing, more often than not using red pencil. The underdrawing is a bit like an architect’s plans - the framework for the final piece. I then build up the features and contours of the sitter’s face and body using complex layers of colour, incorporating spontaneous lines to emphasise form or emotion. To finish I add more spontaneous lines to add structure and final detail which pulls the final piece together.

Dame Judy Dench by Curtis Holder

Your artistic process involves intimate conversations with the people you draw, and your drawings are described as “dynamically tender”, “capturing fleeting gestures and emotions with sensitivity.” How do these personal interactions influence the direction and narrative of your artwork, and do you find that your subjects actively contribute to the creation of their portraits?

Whenever possible I work from life. Conversation is the starting point of all my work, well before I put pencil to paper. The dialogue I enter into with my subjects is a point of connection where we can share our experiences and emotions. It’s where we begin to understand our individual motivations, differences and similarities. It’s the point where, together, we begin to make the work. Mark making is the conduit through which I try to translate and extend that spoken language into something more complex. I hope to present deeper layers of emotion in the work, as well as recording the passage of time we spend together through the multilayered lines of pencil.

You work in graphite and coloured pencils, what qualities do you look for in your paper?

Drawing from Brotherhood 
by Curtis Holder

I prefer paper with some texture and I use high-oil content coloured pencils. I like the idea of a deliberate struggle and dance between pencil and paper. It creates a spontaneous and immediate connection, encouraging unpredictable marks which contribute to the final work.

Looking ahead, are there upcoming projects, exhibitions, or themes you are excited to explore in your future work?

I’m currently artist-in-residence at Leeds Art Gallery where I’m in the process of creating new work for the gallery’s permanent collection, responding to the theme of decolonisation. The residency is part of the UAL (University of the Arts London) Decolonising Arts Institute’s 20/20 programme, which is supporting 20 artists to take up residencies in 20 public art collections, galleries and museums across the UK. I feel incredibly fortunate to be working with the gallery and contributing to this vital conversation around the representation of minority communities in our museums and galleries. 

Curtis Holder receiving his award from Alan Walker,
St Cuthberts Mill Chairman, and Heston Baldwin,
from Gallery Green & Stone

To see more of Curtis Holder’s work visit:
www.curtisholder.co.uk 
www.instagram.com/curtisartist


Curtis Holder won the Best Dry Based Medium at the Gallery at Green & Stone ‘Works on Paper’ Exhibition 2024:
https://www.thegalleryatgreenandstone.com/works-on-paper-online-catalogue