Working Process
Neil’s drawings, paintings and prints are developed from extensive research and sketches produced from direct and indirect observation. He uses many different skills, methods, techniques and processes to create richly layered tapestries on the pictures’ surfaces. His drawings and etchings employ a detailed network of line, bitten deep into copper plate or drawn using traditional dip pen and ink whilst his paintings employ more spontaneous yet complex layered marks drawing on the luminous qualities of the paint’s pigments. Everywhere Neil travels he works directly from the subject using sketchbooks to record a journey; in recent years this has included trekking extensively in the Nepal Himalayas. These records are then used directly and indirectly to create finished works that capture the essences of time and place
Artist Statement
Neil Pittaway’s works reflect ideas from East and Western sources and perspectives such as Anglo-European heritage, transatlantic connections, Asian landscapes, gothic revival architecture, urbanness, satire, illustration and narrative. His work incorporates and explores these identities through direct and indirect observation creating complex and seemingly agoraphobic, perspective spaces; a labyrinth, which reflects the built and natural environments and echoes the monumental histories that make up our collective European and International identities, our heritage.
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(Above) Neil painting at St. Moritz Switzerlan

(Above) Neil with his sketchbook in Langtang, Nepal and other images of Neil working

As well as working from imagination Neil enjoys sketching from direct observation
through visiting remote regions of the World, capturing the many magical places
and landscapes he has visited these have included the Indian and Nepal Himalayas,
the Georgian Caucuses, Peruvian Andese, Alps, many countries and places in
Europe and world wide including the USA, India, Nepal, China, Syria, Georgia, Egypt
and Peru. You can view a selection of the sketches produce on these trips by
visiting the Sketchbooks 1 and 2 folio pages on this site.
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(Above) Neil sketching in Switzerland on
his Tour Du Mont Blanc Painting and
trekking trip

(Above) Neil working at Ronda, Spain

(Above & below) Neil inking and printing his Etching plate
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(Above) Neil painting on the Tour Du Mont Blanc circuit and at Gosaikund, Nepal
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(Above) one of Neil's bitten etching plates with printed etching

(Above) Scrim used to wipe back the inked plate (Above right) Neil's Polished etching plate

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As well as painting and drawing Neil also creates very
complex original prints based on cultural heritage and
visual histories, using the etching process which is a
process where by an image is drawn with a needle point
onto a pre-prepared wax ground on a copper or zinc
plate, the drawn image is then submerged in a tray of
acid and the exposed drawn lines are etched into the
plate surface, (the wax ground that is not exposed
resists the acid).
Once the bitten acid process is complete the wax
ground is cleaned off to reveal the copper or zinc plate
with the exposed bitten lines of the drawn image,-
(These have been etched into the plates surface, see
the image on the left). The plate is then inked by
scraping etching ink into the bitten lines and then
cleaned back to leave only the etched ink in the
etched lines. (See the images above)

(Above) Image shows one of Neil's etchings after just been printed
from an inked plate.

(Left) Images showing part of Neil's etching process with detail showing
inked plate and printed image showing the vsarious working stages of one
of Neil's Etchings.
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Neil has won many Awards for his work including the British Institution prizes for both drawing and printmaking, Ashmolean Museum Oxford Award and the Arts Club London Excellence in Drawing Award. His work has also been featured in many publications including drawings commissioned by Enithamon Press, London for an Anthology of London Poetry and prose. He has had some of his printmaking work featured in the Great Artist television series for Channel 5, (UK) and DVD film painting at the Eden Project in Cornwall (UK), also interviews and work broadcast on BBC Radio.
Neil has won many Awards for his work including the British Institution prizes for both drawing and printmaking, Ashmolean Museum Oxford Award and the Arts Club London Excellence in Drawing Award. His work has also been featured in many publications including drawings commissioned by Enithamon Press, London for an Anthology of London Poetry and prose. He has had some of his printmaking work featured in the Great Artist television series for Channel 5, (UK) and DVD fil