Devil’s Fingers…and Bertie.

I am continuing my explorations of the fossils that can be found here at Grafham. So far I have found Gryphaea, Belemnites, bits of Ammonites but as yet no sections of Crinoid stems. They are a common find but I need to take some more time to look as they are tiny..but unexpectedly very beautiful. Some are simple and circular in sections and some are star shaped.

Photograph from the British Geological Survey website.

I have written a little more about these lovely fossils and the general folklore of fossils over on Pencilandleaf.

I shall be looking at Crinoids next week but meanwhile, after some explorations with the ammonite I turned to the Belemnites for some print inspiration.
I found a nice piece of a belemnite last week in my fossil hunting by the reservoir.

The belemnite is the large bullet shaped piece at the front. They were known as Devil’s Fingers or thought to be thunderbolts. They are the remains of these..

 
Image from this fascinating piece about Belemnites from Ferrebeekepeers

I had made three different possible background plates, fronds, wavy lines and a circle and then a 2 colour reduction lino plate.

 
Frond background and first printing.

 
Circle background, first lino print was rotated and reprinted. Then second colour added.

Chris said “What are you calling it?” “Bertie the Belemnite.” I said.

Oh dear, it just slipped out. I am supposed to be a serious artist but I guess it will stick, as these things have a tendency to do.
And one last print.

 
With wavy background and two colours. I will post more of the process  on Printdaily soon.

And to end, a glorious bunch of Berties on the Bench.

Well, its been that sort of day … more fossils when I return to Beautiful Beasts in a weeks time. Over to Sue…