Branching form: prints

I am learning more about woodcuts and the Jubilee Wood and Tree Following projects will give me some good subjects to play with.  These are two prints from earlier this week. One a monoprint, the other a woodcut. I am using a simple branching shape to experiment with techniques… interesting.

Tree Sketches

With our Jubilee Wood project in mind, this week I am looking at trees, in all sorts of ways. Today I walked down to the reservoir where along the side of the main path are a magnificent stand of poplars. They are regal. It’s really the first time I have looked carefully at the fascinating rhythmic branching pattern.  I made a few quick sketches of the poplar and a few other  local trees.

The old oak and the branching poplar, A5 sketchbook

Sycamore and the twiggy downward arching willow, complete with camellia galls.

and, back home, a simplification of the poplar pattern.

Suddenly many Art Deco designs make sense to me!