I have 34 recognised notable, ancient or veteran trees to work from in Markstakes Common. I have sketched each at least once in charcoal or ink, and some I have worked up on larger sheets. My plan is to created a completed ‘work’ on each, ostensibly a print with chin collée though stepping back and creating one off dip ink drawing or illustration – I have many photographs of each tree, in all seasons, from all angles expect from above (or below).

‘Tree’ 1 is a 3-stem Ash. I could start there.

‘Trees’ 13 and 14 are ‘ancient’ oak trees, given these modifiers not because of their age, but for the features they display (dead wood in the crown and on the ground, girth, hollowing and water in the crown and so on). Either one wood be a good pick for a pic. I’m going to do them all, so whether I start with tree 1 or tree 14 should be here nor there. One tree a month if it is going to be drawn up, cut out, printed and then coloured with watercolour or chin collée.

The only ‘veteran’ tree, so called ‘tree 5’ a magnificently gnarled old tree that has Keith Richard’s face written all over it. 

Taking my time, as well as 157 photos to draw upon, a charcoal sketch and some other ink drawings, I have worked up a concept board or collage. Maybe an illustration would do it more justice that any picture that tries to get it all in … the problem of course is the scale of the tree beyond its crown: its impressive reach into the canopy and outwards for patches of sunlight.