Along Point Shore along the Merrimac River, in Amesbury there is a business called Lowell Boat Shop. Established in 1793, this wooden boat building shop is the oldest operating boat shop in America. I have spent many outings there, sketching the multitude of boats found on the property: most are sea worthy, some not. The stacked formations of these crafts make very interesting compositions.
While out drawing one morning, a Newburyport Daily News photographer stopped by for a chat and asked if I would mind him taking pics while I worked. The temps were in the 20's, so I was properly attired as only an outdoor artist could be dressed in layers of clothing, hats, scarf and a blanket for my lap.
Recently I have been making pronto plates, a type of lithography process, from my Lowell Boat Shop charcoal drawings.
Drawing directly on a polyester plate using China markers, Litho pencils and Sharpies, I can closely replicate the marks and tones of the original charcoal drawings. The plate is then inked up using a brayer while the surface of the undrawn plate is kept wet by sponging on a solution of gum arabic and water. The basic principle to lithography is water and oil do not mix. They repel each other. Using an etching press, I offset the image onto printing paper.
There is so much more to learn about this new printmaking process. Experimenting over time will lead to more interesting results.
You certainly are an intrepid plein air artist! The photo captures your concentration as you focus on your drawing. The pronto plate drawings look interesting; boats do have beautiful shapes and forms. Thanks for sharing your process in learning a new technique!
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