I have previously focused on the outcome of my artwork, but the natural lines collection is all about the process. Building on the layering I enjoyed from the We Are Nature series, I feel I have been journeying towards this style for a while. I remember, back in school, seeing art which camouflaged animals within animals and it was a challenge to spot all of them within the piece.
I have ALWAYS loved art that gives you something to discover again and again, with every glance. If art is going to be on the wall its great that it provides each viewer something new to find each time they look at it. The fact that there is more to see than at first glance also reflects how I feel about nature.
I think that this is the great fact of nature that the more you look, the more interested you become, the more you uncover, and the more nature amazes you.
During my Natutal Lines Collection, I loved layering up the animals within these pieces and the fineliner pens provided me a way of investing time in creating complex and detailed pieces with greater accuracy. Instead of a series, this is a collection...with endless options. This collection made me fall in love with the PROCESS instead of the end product.
I am so proud of the pieces this collection. Its some of the most detailed and accurate sketching and pen work I have ever achieved.
My favourites
Angelfish – This was one of the first pieces that I really enjoyed. It celebrates the species I saw during a trip to Bermuda to celebrate my 30th!
Kingfisher – This is the piece which was the most accurate. I finally managed to get an accurate otter face! It celebrated everything seen during kayaking the Norfolk Broads with the flash of an electric blue kingfisher a regular companion.
Seal of approval? –I have always loved visiting Horsey Gap after moving to East Anglia and had to include one in the collection. This was a test of confidence as I actually decided to redraw the first sketch, and it came out even more realistic. This piece reminds me to trust my skills. You can see my photo which reflects this common pose of the "face scratch" captured in this piece. The featured animals celebrate Norfolk animals from river to coast which are now so familiar to me having made East Anglia my home.
Blue shark – This piece is my most recent. I added so many layers and the original extends across the diagonal of an A3 page, meaning the detail is so intricate in this one. It features all the British underwater wildlife that ignited my curiousity and led me to become a Marine Biologist. It also features some species I have worked on during my career and the blue shark's commanding prescence is the perfect frame.
Otter– This piece was a labour of love. The charismatic yet elusive otter is one of my favourite encounters. I first saw an otter in Norfolk swimming across the marshlands its head above the water and a wake extendi g behind it. I did a surface split for an orca piece and it worked out so well I reflected it in this otter piece. The animals featured include those inhabiting the land above and the waters below. The eye in this piece really grabs my attention and I also proud of it.
Explore my artg allery piece to see more as I add to this collection which I've been working on for 2 years so far! If you like this style checkout other artists who create beautiful layered pieces similar to this such as Jon Tremaine, Leigh Wolfaardt and Rachel Brooks.