Friday 8 January 2016

Ammonite etching - three artist proofs


A very happy new year to you. I'm not sure where December went but it did and very fast!

seasidestudiosblog.blogspot.com
Ammonites  3 etching proofs (centre one with prepainted tissue paper chine colle)   plate size 6x8cm ©2016Lisa Le Quelenec




The above are my very modest beginnings to the new year. Three little etchings, the first proofs from a small zinc etching plate. Ammonites fascinate me and felt like a natural progression after working with chambered nautilus' - maybe spirals are becoming a new theme for me. I certainly enjoy the challenge of drawing them. Being a stone's throw away from the Jurassic coast I am certainly in the right area. The starting point for this plate was a half inch sized ammonite found at Lyme Regis, the whole perfect form lay waiting to be picked up, perfectly intact after a mind-blowing 240 - 65 million years ago.

All three are available in my Etsy store.


6 comments:

RH Carpenter said...

These are lovely and remind me of a book written by Travy Chevalier called Remarkable Creatures - all about women finding fossils on the English coast! A good read, if you haven't read it yet and all about the Lyme Regis area of the UK.

Bruce Sherman said...

Hi there Lisa!... Nice to see you getting a jump on your print making explorations. Some of the most profound and inspirational material comes from the past. It represents an imaginative leap of faith to absorb these features into one's present work. You have accomplished that admirably here with your ammonite etchings. Bravo!

Happy play and discovery!
Warmest regards,
Bruce

Judy said...

Beautiful, all three of them! I had to google chine collé, interesting process, and great result.
Happy New Year, Lisa!

Lisa Le Quelenec said...

Hi Rhonda, I'd forgotten all about this book! I read it a while ago, it was so good. I had loved 'The Girl with a Pearl Earring' and 'The Lady and the Unicorn' too. Thank you for reminding me, I just might have to read it again. She really captures a sense of the place I think.

Why thank you Bruce! That is very kind. I'm a bit in awe at how such a tiny relatively fragile animal can have been preserved for so long in such a perfect condition. Magic!


Hi Judy, thank you, the process is wonderful. There are so many accidental and unpredictable results. It's jolly good fun!

Susan said...

Adore these! Ammonites have long been on my 'most want to paint' list.
Maybe this year.

Lisa Le Quelenec said...

Hi Susan, thank you. Watch out they are addictive ;o) I'd love to see them when you do, let me know where to go. Best wishes.