About this piece…
Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus)
Native to the island state of Tasmania, blue gums start out with round silvery leaves before reaching full maturity. It’s coated in a powdery glaucous substance which not only gives it a blue-green hue, but also acts as a natural sunscreen for the tree. They are a vital habitat and a source of food for pygmy possums, insects and especially the endangered swift parrot.
Process + medium
Before painting, I sketch out the plant from life and take a lot of reference photos for me to use back at my desk. This specimen was drawn from a tree on Kunanyi/ Mt Wellington in Hobart.
Using premium grade Chinese ink on paper, I hand grind the ink sticks myself using an ink stone. This traditional method of preparing ink alone can take several minutes and forms the start of my painting process. What I am left with are only the most intense colours and highest quality pigments that I use to build up colour, layer upon layer.
The artwork is then professionally scanned in Melbourne and printed in my home studio using archival inks on acid free Hahnemühle paper.