This linocut started a while ago with a visit to Crosby Beach to see Antony Gormley's 'Another Place' sculpture installation, 100 cast iron figures over more than a mile of beach, all staring out to sea. It has an eerie feel, with some figures half submerged in the water, or in the sandy beach itself, some covered in seaweed and barnacles, one even wearing a Liverpool football shirt!
The figures are all life-size and moulded from Sir Antony Gormley's own body. They look out to sea, where the flow of oil tankers and container ships come in to the Port of Liverpool, nearby.
The beach was busy with dog walkers and tourists on the day I visited. As the tide comes in, some of the figures are full submerged. I wanted to capture this strange place, on the edge of an industrial heartland, in a new linocut. 'Another Place' was a regeneration project, and has been hugely popular, bringing visitors to the area. It's a difficult place to capture because of the emptiness! I chose a composition with multiple figures and the reflections in the pools on the beach, and included the ships and a few people to bring a sense of space and try to capture the feel of Crosby Beach.
Here are some images of the linocut in development. I used a gradation and was keen to capture the textures and shadows on the figures and in the sand.
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| Planning and cutting the 4 plates |
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| A gradation from sand to sky |
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| Early stage proof, printing plate 2 |
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| More cutting, revisions and a later stage proof |
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| A final proof |
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| Starting to print the edition in my studio |
'Crosby Beach' is not yet available, so this will give you an idea of a project that is coming soon.
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