Creating “Seabird Cliffs” linocut
Original Print – Linocut on Paper
On the East Coast of Yorkshire, there's a remarkable colony of seabirds nesting high above the waves on sheer 400ft chalk cliffs. It inspired this landscape art, a linocut print.
This RSPB site is near the seaside town of Bridlington. It's called Bempton Cliffs, and it's host to the largest accessible seabird colony on mainland UK.
Gannets, Cormorants, Northern Fulmers, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, and of course, Puffins, are among almost half a million seabirds that nest on these towering cliffs each year.
It's a delight watching birds migrating along the coast toward this reserve when painting in the area, and the migrating bird formations often end up in my art.
Flamborough Head, just down the coast from here is one of my favourite places to be on a sunny day.
The whole area is beautiful and varied, with Bempton Cliffs its crowning natural wonder.
Making Bempton Cliffs art
I happen to have a fear of heights, that's triggered immediately by edges and sheer drops.
It means I choose my sketching/painting spots carefully when there's a dramatic cliff top artwork like this involved. If I don't, I find I panic after a short while, and have to run away! My sensible brain doesn't seem to operate at such times – I have no idea why, and it feels very silly and frustrating.
Bempton Cliffs rise to 121 metres (400 foot) at their highest so they're a challenge for me. Despite how it looks in the linocut, I was well back from the slope down to the cliff edge.
Though the colour scheme of this original linoprint is what's called 'limited', there are five distinct colours involved. Two for the ocean and two for the land, plus the final dark colour. This means each print has been hand‑cranked through my press five times.
There's also a subtle difference between the sea/sky and the land. I used what's called a 'dry ink roll' for the sea. That means the layer of ink I used was so thin the texture of the paper shows through.
It's a deliberate technique used to create a contrast with the land where the ink applied was thicker.
More art around Bempton Cliffs
This print was made with another at the same time. They go together well, but are also strong individually.
The other print looks along the coast to Bridlington, at a point South of this location. It's called Walking the Coast
.
Bempton Cliffs are a wonderful, beguiling, and dramatic place, with no end of picturesque views. No wonder I'm a regular there with my plein‑air kit.