Artwork description:

Champion chaffinches was a cult activity with working class bird fanciers in the east end of London in the late 19th century. It took place in pubs where wild chaffinches that had been captured were pitched against each other in singing contests. The winner was the bird that sang the most complete tunes during the 15 minute matches. Shoreditch Bobby and Kingsland Roarer were actual competitors, the rest are imagined other participants! (source 'Beastly London' by Hannah Velten). The style is based on collectable cigarette cards, which came free in cigarette packs, and are still popular decorations in English pubs today. I came across this subject while doing research for a print about London, and its combination of history and nature, appealed to my visual imagination.

Each chaffinch illustration is from an original watercolour painting, as drawing and painting the birds myself is an important part of my process. These are then collaged together with text and vector graphics to create a digital image to print. Using digital media gives me the freedom to create exactly the right image I am looking for, and is great for combining new and traditional techniques and skills.

Materials used:

High Quality Archival Digital Print On High Quality Archival Paper

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