'From Thomas Bewick in the 18th century to Charles Tunniclife and Gertrude Hermes in the 20th, the British school of wood engraving has been able to express, in visual terms, our love of the countryside. Colin See-Paynton not only inherits the skills and vision of these earlier artists but adds the brilliance of his design and his mastery of the movement of birds, animals and fish.' Kyffin Williams Colin See-Paynton has brought a new vitality to one of the earliest forms of printmaking. Although his work is based on the meticulous observation of the natural world, his talent is to invent compositions which distil the ecological and behavioural relationships of the species in their habitats. He uses his knowledge and imagination to construct engravings of great complexity and refinement and has evolved something new by the patterning and layering of his images. Later compositions, particularly those from an underwater viewpoint, use an increasingly abstract and fluid line to capture the fast and fleeting movements of birds and fish. The Incisive Eye reproduces and catalogues over 150 prints, with over 20 prints reproduced as close as possible to their actual size.
The foreword is by Kyffin Williams RA., and the introduction by David Alston. In a technical essay, Colin See-Paynton describes the transition from field sketch to finished print. The essay is illustrated with photographs, by Vince Bevan, of the artist at work.