Artwork description:

Jebel Toubkal, (4,167 metres) is the highest mountain in North Africa.

During September 2014, I embarked on a five day adventure in Morocco trekking through Berber villages and steep mountain passes where only mules (no cars) carrying goods and our main luggage were able to ascend the narrow ledges to the high altitudes of Mount Toubkal.

I chose etching and aquatint as this best suits the dusty and atmospheric textures of the rocks. I find that using etching creates an earthy, yet other- worldly bleakness to some of the worlds most desolate landscapes. I felt at the time that working on this topic using oils or watercolours would be too representational and that etching would just add that little bit of extra etherial cragginess to the image.

Materials used:

Etching and aquatint on zinc, inked and pressed onto Fabriano paper

Tags:

#rugged-mountains #rugged land #bleak landcape #climatically harsh #wild #mysterious #panorama #panoramic landscapes #panoramic #wilderness #earthy #earthy tones #otherworldly #remote #remote landscape #bleak #rugged #rugged mountains #other worldly #rugged landscape #craggy rocks #craggy landscape #wilderness art #otherworlds #remoteness #harsh