monoprinting birch trees

Night Watchmen  monoprint 15x21cm  ©2017LisaLeQuelenec

The first monoprint of the year! I have been really enjoying markmaking with monoprint recently experimenting with a combination of applying ink and different tools to take the ink off and draw into it. Birch trees are a favourite winter subject and feel a good fit for these first pieces.

Initially I rolled a layer of ink mixed with extender for a little transparency onto the plate before wiping off some trunk shapes. Then applying ink with a stiff brush I added the trunk markings in. The rough grassy floor was fun! I added a little more ink and scratched into it with sharpened sticks, a supersharp pencil point and toothpicks.

I wanted a really sharp and bright white moon so cut a paper stencil for this. The thickness of the paper has meant a darker edge to the ink surrounding the moon but I quite like this as it adds to the contrast and I think it needed something hard amongst all the lost and found edges through the rest of the image.

This image is available as a reproduction and stationery on my Redbubble site

It is also available here on Fine Art America.

I managed a ghost print (running the plate with leftover ink again through the press with some slightly damper paper) only adding a little extra ink to the trunk markings and lower corner of grass.  Once the print had dried I worked into it with watercolour and coloured pencil introducing some colour and neutralising some of the harder darks adding more form into the trunks. I liked the way the pencil picked up the texture of the inks where it had printed thicker in some areas. I think this is an avenue well worth exploring - a big adventure for the start of the year - the results could be very exciting...

Night Watchmen   monoprint and mixed media 15x21cm ©2017LisaLeQuelenec

Night Watchmen detail   ©2017LisaLeQuelenec

New reproduction prints now available

Images available on Fine Art America  ©2016LisaLeQuelenec

This last few weeks has seen me updating images on to my Red Bubble store and also making images available to buy through Fine Art America. The images are available in a number of different formats both framed and unframed, on canvas, as cards and also on other products. It is very easy to order from either site and both companies have money back guarantees.

It has been interesting to me to see the work in a portfolio view like this (almost like an online exhibition) to see the themes and connections between the pieces. It also has given me ideas for new work so another few pages have been filled up in my notebook with ideas and thumbnails. It is a lengthy and time consuming process (especially when you get sidetracked with yet another idea) and has kept me away from painting and printing. Over the next few weeks I will be adding more images as time allows. For now back to work...