I've booked myself onto a screenprinting class, over a couple of days next week, at the Highland Print Studio in Inverness.

Last time I attempted screenprinting was at art school. The class was assigned a graphics project by our tutor, Don Addison, entitled: It's Autumn on Deeside. We had to design a poster on the subject.

I was completely uninspired and reluctantly settled on a design incorporating leaves & seeded grasses in the shape of musical notes - making a nod to the beautiful birch forests & the culture of the area to the west of Aberdeen.

If you're impressed, you really shouldn't be. My idea looked crap! I put effort into learning the process but the final image never looked like my heart was in it. A total failure. My friend, Jane & I seemed to set each other off into nervous giggles throughout. Our efforts were rubbish, and we knew it. We couldn't wait for that screenprinting block to finish!

So now I'm revisiting screenprinting with a view to giving it my best shot. However, two things are bothering me:

(1) I have a mental block and can't think of anything to use as an image. The spectre of those Autumn leaves always spring to mind like a thick winter curtain, blocking ideas!

(2) I still have that itsy-bitsy eye problem. That cataract op should have been done by now. So..I'm working with blurred lines!! And I'm aware that screenprinting relies on matching up registration marks - accurately - for printing each new colour. Oops!

Not the best of starts, maybe? But I shall have to man-up. I will put up a pic of my effort so you can judge if I successfully jumped that mental arty hurdle. And, believe me, it is proving mental!