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Castle on Film

Inspired by the work of Thomas Annan
Plinth No. 10, Lochranza

This Edition reimagines the image captured by Thomas (circa 1860) of the castle and surrounding hills of Lochranza marrying the creative vision of artist James Taylor.

The start of the journey was a site visit, the plinth isn’t located at the exact lens location experienced by Thomas but trial and error using a Pro Nikon camera soon reveals an exacting match for comparison and of how little the vista of Lochranza has changed. Combing the site for findings and textures for inspiration at low tide reveals the cleaned mussels deep blue on their outer with bright pearl-essence inner. These were cleaned and then photographed in the studio, texture was also sampled from the castle walls.

Research into Thomas online, site visits and to see original works were essential to understand the skill of the man. Line sketches were produced where the formation of the vision was realised in the clean diagonals from the landscape only interrupted by small craft as fishing was a key part of the economy now long gone.

The final sketch is then imported digitally where other elements and textures are applied, the hillside and distant horizon is composed of individual mussel shell texture from outers and inners and then coloured. The sky takes texture from the walls of the castle (as does the castle). The waters display a fine crackle glaze sampled from a discarded tile discovered from beach combing.

The reflection of the castle deliberately jars with the clean lines of the composition, as the initial capture by film photography is interrupted by the use of chemicals to enhance, reveal or destroy the work. A forgotten art and process in itself that scarcely exists today in thanks to digitisation, fortunately a process James was lucky to witness early in his early. The final destination is to an imaging specialist, possibly the only one left in the UK with the technology to commit the final output to a 10″ by 8” transparency and in-house E6. This most tactile of media would be familiar to Thomas as it could then be used to create master prints. Allowing light to pass through the transparency brings the Edition to life, and experience a traditional process that respects the originator.

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Coming Soon

Signed limited edition
1 of 100, 250mm x 250mm
Recorded on Hahnemühle
Arran collection

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