I have now started to look at and reference my original drawings  and begin to edit and abstract the imagery. The series above and the image below are an example of how I have started to us the etching process as away to represent and realise this. Etching gives me the ability to be able to take a proof and re-work, add and edit information.

 

 The two series below are ongoing  and will be re-worked.The lessons learnt from these smaller pieces will  feed into larger pieces to be made for the new year.



  

 

Transmission II

 In working between working on the Maunsell project I had the opportunity this week to finish Transmission II. I have been working on this piece for several months and it will form part of a triptych alongside Transmission  and finally Transmission III which will hopefully be completed in the Autumn. The Triptych is based on the lovell telescope at Jodrell bank.

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www.jodrellbank.manchester.ac.uk/.../LovellTimelaps...

Getting started

The images below are my early representational drawings of the sea forts. These studies allowed me to start to understand the form, tone, textures and scale  and how if could represent them. They were drawn on a smooth fabriano paper which allowed me to achieve a greater range of tone with the graphite.

Sea fort study

Sea fort studies

Quick pencil study

As I was drawing the sea forts I was becoming increasingly aware of the graphic forms and textures within them. The pieces below are a more abstract approach to the subject. I have started to break the image down to more basic graphic forms used to form a composition in which to add texture and surface qualities related to the original drawings completed earlier.

Shape studies

 

Abstract form

Detail

Detail

Although by no means resolved I feel there could be potential and aim to take some of these images into the etching process.

Source of Inspiration

The Shivering Sands and Redsands Maunsell Sea Forts were built in 1942 at Northfleet, Kent and are six-eight nautical miles off the East Kent coast. They were created as anti-aircraft and observation platforms to disrupt  the German Luftwaffe on bombing runs to London.
The design and manufacture of these platforms was also the early  fore runner for the oil platforms of today.

The forts are visible from the Kent and Essex coastlines. They were  de-commissioned in the 1950's,

but were brought, briefly back into use in the 1960s by pirate radio stations.  The forts have stood derelict and disused since then acting as a reminder of the past conflict.

Project Redsand has been established to secure the future of the Forts and the group are working towards the listing of the Redsand Towers as a National Monument and Heritage site. Late last year I was able to visit the site by fishing boat  and board the towers for a couple of hours. I was fascinated and inspired by these futuristic and brutal  looking structures. I managed to do a series of quick pencil studies and record video and sound from the top of one of the platforms. I then plan to use this reference to create a new body of work inspired by my trip to the Maunsell seaforts.

A blank canvas

Now that all teaching commitments have finished for the year I am in the fortunate position that I can use the current Drawing and Applied Arts Level 3 studioat the UWE. I plan to work on my Maunsell sea forts project and use the time to explore different ways to represent this inspiring and fascinating location.
The images attached are of the empty studio, this blank canvas will give me the space and time needed to investigate my practice and hopefully highlight new avenues to explore. I will be uploading my work in progess and any relevant reference that has had an influence.

Transmission 80cm x 65cm, etching

Transmission above is my latest piece, completed for a Diptych exhibition in collaboration with Spike Island Printmakers. I was paired with an artist Ros ford who also works using the etching process. The image is of the Lovell telescope based a Jodrell Bank. I initially did the drawings two years ago and this was the perfect chance for me to rework the sketches and take into print.
This was also a fantastic opportunity for me to address scale and how this can effect my use of drawing and etching.The scale of the work is something I wish to explore further.
After having a conversation this year with Emma Stibbon we discussed the relevance of scale and what part it could play. I felt it was now more important with the limited time I now have to put all my time creating a larger more substantial piece of work.

Other man made forms have also influenced me. The image above 'Bridge I' was done on location  during the construction. The use of charcoal and graphite offered me a spontaneity and freedom to put down initial forms and tone that I thought best described the object.This image was also revisited with etching to emphasis the tonal qualities through the use of aquatint and burnishing.

To begin as an introduction to my practice I have attached a selection of etchings completed while on a residency at the Goonhilly satellite earth station in Helston, cornwall. For more information and images please visit my website  www.ichamberlain.co.uk. These etchings were originally sketched on location and then taken back to the studio and redrawn onto a copper plate. The etching process allowed me to re-ground the plate build up layers of information and, taking proofs on the way to see how the image was evolving. The image/plate was constantly in a state of flux and evolution.