Last autumn, I picked up a twig with leaves on it and brought it home because I wasn’t sure what tree it was from. I decided that it was probably some sort of poplar and left it outside the back door. In the spring, I noticed that the leaves – still attached to the twig – had skeletised very nicely.
It occurred to me that they would be a good subject for a drawing, and that white on black would be very effective.
So I coated a 6″ square kaolin-coated board with Indian ink (effectively turning the Claybord* into a Scratchbord*) and got drawing with my scraper tool. It was good to work directly from the subject.
I have discovered that relatively few UK tree leaves will decay to a such a satisfyingly cohesive skeleton as poplar, with the notable exception of holly. Some, like oak and beech, are too tough, and others, like lime and hornbeam, are too soft. Nonethless, I did find an old oak leaf with a few interesting holes in it.
The series so far consists of five drawings:
- Ace of Spades (poplar)
- Crinkle (poplar)
- Spike (holly)
- Lobed (oak) – SOLD
- Spearhead (poplar – probably a different type, as I picked up this leaf in a different location)
All are ink on kaolin-coated board, 6×6 inches. Currently on sale for £140 each, framed and ready to hang.
*Claybord and Scratchbord are both panels made by Ampersand. Claybord is kaolin-coated board and Scratchbord is Claybord topped with a layer of black ink (or ink-analogue).
