“Balgal Scrub”, 2023

James Brown

“Balgal Scrub”, 2023

Drypoint on heavy wove paper, artist’s proof (no edition).

Size: (plate) 16 x 9.5 cm

My printmaking practice is a personal exploration rather than a pursuit of editions. I delight in experimenting with different techniques, and the process itself, the tactile experience, is what truly excites me. A single, well-considered impression is often enough. Occasionally, if an initial result sparks particular interest, I'll make a small number of variations. I might adjust the inking or wiping of the plate to see if I can coax out an even richer image or experiment with different colours or paper surfaces. But fundamentally, my goal is to learn through the act of creation and to have that single, evolving piece reflect that journey.

My drypoint of a detail from the impenetrable mangrove scrubland at Balgal Beach in the tropical north of Australia perfectly exemplifies this approach. The first print was created by inking the plate with a warm black, and then wiping it to leave a subtle plate tone (image on the left). I was quite pleased with the outcome. Building on that initial success, I then re-inked the plate, this time using a cooler black to see how the image might shift.

But I didn't stop there. Before pulling the print, I embarked on a further experiment. I rolled a rich ochre colour onto a separate piece of paper and then gently pressed that paper, ochre-side down, onto the freshly inked drypoint plate (see centre image). The result was an ethereal "floating" effect, the ochre subtly colouring the image. For me, this added depth, enhancing the visual intimacy of the print, making it feel less stark than the original.

My final leap of experimentation was printing the image onto a sheet of old papyrus, a souvenir from a trip to Egypt many years ago (see right image). The initial excitement of this choice, however, faded. Ultimately, the complex texture and inherent beauty of the papyrus sheet ended up competing with the image of the mangrove …and I think the papyrus won!