Frequently Asked Questions
Are the paintings original?
Yes. Cathy creates original paintings in watercolour and acrylic ink. She draws with masking fluid and paints on top of it. They may look a little like prints, but each painting is a one-of-a-kind piece of art.
Are prints available?
Cathy doesn’t create hand made prints like lino-cuts and etchings but limited edition digital prints are available.
What mediums does Cathy use?
Cathy uses watercolours and acrylic inks. She starts with a watercolour wash, which she covers with cling film. After a drying period, she adds layers of acrylic ink. These are usually left to dry overnight and layers are built up in subsequent sessions.
How are the white lines made?
Cathy draws with masking fluid to preserve the white of the paper. Each painting starts as a photograph which is transferred onto the paper. She then goes over all the pencil lines with masking fluid. Once the masking is dry, Cathy paints over the masking and builds up layers of colour. When she is happy with the painting, the masking is removed and the final picture appears.
Are the white lines scratched in after painting?
The lines are made first by creating a barrier which stops the paint and ink sticking to the paper.
What is a ruling pen?
A ruling pen is a tool used in technical drawing. It has been replaced by CAD (Computer Aided Design).
The photo shows a set Cathy inherited from her father-in-law, and includes her favourite ruling pen.
How are the lines made so straight?
Cathy either uses a ruler or draws them freehand if the building is weathered. Which method she chooses depends on the effect she’s creating.
What other tools does Cathy use?
Rulers, straws, brushes, cling film, salt and a spray bottle filled with distilled water.
How does Cathy paint?
The initial watercolour washes are made using brushes. After that, Cathy paints directly onto the paper using the eye droppers which come with acrylic inks. The fine tendrils are created using a straw.
What is masking fluid?
Does it damage brushes?
Yes, masking fluid damages brushes. No matter how careful you are, if you spend time thinking about what you’re doing, chances are the masking fluid will dry on the brush. This is why Cathy uses a ruling pen.
Does Cathy work on location / Plein Air?
Whilst Cathy has created a few paintings on location, usually she works from photographs in her studio. The painting process requires the work to remain flat and dry overnight.
Does Cathy work from photographs?
Yes, Cathy works from photographs she’s taken on location. Very rarely, she might work from an image provided by a customer when working on a commission or if she wants to include a building which has been demolished.
Does Cathy spend a lot of time in London, Manchester, or other cities?
Cathy usually visits cities for a day and takes as many photographs as she can while she’s there. These are edited later in the studio when she makes final decisions about which images to use.
Cahy has more images than she can use for paintings; sometimes it can be years before she’ll use an image.
Where does Cathy find inspiration?
Inspiration comes in various ways. Sometimes Cathy will go to a specific location and other times she wanders around and photographs what attracts her attention. She always has her phone with her for when she’s out and spots something special, like the reference image for “Goodnight Thames” here. This painting was based on a grainy photograph taken on the way home from a private viewing at Bankside Gallery.
Whenever Cathy starts feeling jaded with the images she has, she knows it’s time to take the camera to a city.