Mark Herald Craft person

Mark Herald

Illustrator, printmaker and painter Mark Hearld, was born in York 1974, and as an Undergraduate student he studied Illustration at Glasgow College of art and went on to study a Masters in Natural History Illustration at the Royal College of Art.

Ballindallock Blackbird
Lino Prink
Mark Herald.


The Lino print is called ‘Ballindalloch Blackbird’. I was unable find any information on his printing method, but I can see from the photos of his printing plate (Yellow image) and the final print is that it is composed of multiple printed layers. The yellow plate in the photo looks like the background print, I can tell this because if you look at the carved out lino sections it corresponds to the white lines and shapes on the finished print. After the light yellow ink background has been applied the mid grey layer is printed which contains the bird image and background detail. And the final printed layer being of the fine and textural details of the bird and background using black ink. I really like this piece as I like all the intricate details on the bird, the shape of the bird is also realistic which makes the print more interesting to look at. The composition is quite busy but Herald has made the area immediately surrounding the bird less busy with lines and mark making and with more white and yellow colours compared to the outskirts of the print. Herald has done this to balance the composition and the relative visual quietness around the bird draws you attention to the focal point of the image which it the bird itself. I like his use of wavy lines and shape it gives rhythm and movement to the piece as if the bird it has been caught on a windy day, it is quite a nostalgic image that the audience can relate to, even as a children people will find themselves watching birds if they are out on a walk or sat in the garden as they are interesting and quirky little animals. The eye of the bird is open wide and looks almost as if it is watching the audience, much like birds do when you walk past them; it’s quite an eerie experience to be watched by  an animal and I think this is something that draws the audience’s attention to the piece. I really like the captivating nature of this piece as I think birds are interesting animals, they are mysterious, skittish and unreadable yet beautiful and colourful creatures I would like to take the theme of birds forward in my work because I really like the connotations associated with them.

http://www.birchamgallery.co.uk/catalogue/artist/Mark:Hearld/biography/?category=prints