Max Angus

Born in Mortlake, London.  A printmaker currently living and working in a small village in Kent.

‘My work is often inspired by the everyday environment around me. From the village trees to off season trips to North Norfolk to sketch the migrating geese and visit coastal bird reserves.

I continue to maintain a sketchbook with copious amounts of scrap paper. The limited detail captured with a pencil is just enough for the outlines for linocuts. In my studio, the sketches are put together to create a composition that I feel represents the movement of the subject, the weather or what I can remember of that time.

The master lino block is cut and printed to create a black and white image. The colours are then considered. I have been exploring how far I can push a three block linocut for the maximum effect of an image. The blocks are cut first considering light, shade and overlapping of colours to make additional colour combinations. The limited palette takes weeks of trial an error. Each colour chosen is dependent on the relationship and quantity of the adjacent colours and the overlapping blocks. If the image requires additional colours then additional blocks are introduced.

Awards at The SWLA annual exhibition ‘The St Cuthbert’s Paper Mill Award’ and ‘The Birds Illustrated Magazine Printmaking Award’.

Max Angus linocut images have been published by The RSPB for Christmas cards and Art Angel Publishers for their range of Printmaker greeting cards.