Rook in carborundum

It seems like I've been hooked by a rook and can't get the image out of my mind. Somehow rooks always remind me of winter when I hear them caw to each other and yet they're with us all year round, fussing and defending their nests in Spring and keeping a watchful eye out for easy food at any time. Now the Jubilee wood is growing up, we often see them there, especially in the established trees which form part of the hedge boundary.

After trying out the carborundum on my swallow prints it occurred to me that it would be perfect for the dark sooty rooks. My first attempts have been hand printed as I like the uniqueness of monoprints which change with every print depending on the way the block has been inked up.

    

Monoprint, mixed media including carborundum and pen and ink drawing

 

 

Mixed media monoprint

 

 

Already the variations are coming out and I want  to experiment more with colour added by hand using watercolour and/or  coloured pencils, but I will also be printing this block in the press to see how it changes the image.