De Ferrier, Sketch book entry. 2020

I have spent some time this week exploring ideas in my sketchbook. Scale is an issue that I am keen to tackle and resolve by experimenting with surfaces. This weeks tests included trying to transfer images to canvas, having done this before with the use of a press I have had some success, however without the use of a printmaking press the results are, at best ,unimpressive. Trying by hand, and with a brayer and various printmaking tools, still no success. I do like failures though, they inform my work ,and push me to find a solution to the problem.

In order to address the issue of scale to illustrate these monumental stores being built by migrants on the outskirts of Houston I decided to build a canvas support. I sketched my ideas, including hand sewing, printing pixellated photographs of building sites, and made tests of mark making for the surface of the canvas in order to try and replicate and illustrate the hand rendering of the buildings, and the routes taken by migrants.

De Ferrier, Mark Making tests. 2020

Using paint, charcoal, and oil bars. I think that on this size of canvas this could work as a ground. However as I await delivery of a cyanotype material I shall consider other applications. The idea of using cyanotype as a way to suggest buildings may also be interesting.