I began the series of ‘The Big Five’ after visiting Kruger National Park in South Africa. Whilst driving down a lonely track away from the main part of the park I nearly crashed head on with a large bull elephant, walking along the road in the opposite direction. Only after safely making it past this bull did I pause and look back. This first plate of the African Elephant inspired the series, second came the White Rhino, also from Kruger. Subsequent visits to Kenya and the Mara resulted in the Cape Buffalo, the Lion and finally the Leopard.
These works are all individually created using a steel plate, a sturdy resilient metal that like these animals can endure a beating. The plates are etched and re-etched using acid with some drypoint at the final stage. After creating the original image by drawing on a soft ground, the more detailed aspects of the skin and hairs are gradually built up with proofs being taken along the way to check progress. Aquatint is applied for the shaded areas. Eventually the metal starts to take on that worn and weather beaten look that is desired for the final result, and print is complete.
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