Monthly Archives: August 2014

Align One

Align One Ink drawing by David Smith on Moleskine concertina book

Align One
Ink drawing on Moleskine concertina book

Today’s #arteachday post on Twitter was this drawing in Rohrer Antique ink on a Moleskine concertina book. It was something that I have been wanting to do for quite some time and I had put it off for at least three days because making that first mark on a piece of paper, especially quite an expensive one, can be a bit daunting. I don’t know why it should be: I rarely ever make a mistake when I am full up with something. when the piece exists in all but the physical. In any case, my work is about the interplay between control and chaos so it shouldn’t really matter if I do make a mistake – it wouldn’t really be a mistake, just me expressing the chaos element!

Anyway it all worked out really fine and once it was dry and I could “play” with it I found it had been even more successful than I could have hoped. Someone else thought so too as it was snapped up by a collector in the United States within an hour or so of posting it.

After Each Time

Collage by David Smith

After Each Time
Collage, tape & watercolour on Saunders Waterford paper 559mm × 762mm

I have been struggling to take half-decent photographs of my work. With works on paper – especially where a lot of white is showing – it is important to get the light falling evenly across the surface and the white balance right.  So now I have invested in some lighting that has gone a long way to making the situation better, I just need to improve my camera skills and make sense of Photoshop to get me nearer to perfection. This piece is one I did  couple of days ago and the colours are pretty true but it is still not quite there!