Broken but still Beautiful - October

 

Broken but Still Beautiful October   pencil on paper ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Very broken but ohhhh so beautiful. For October's drawing I chose a fragment. Sometimes when I find these they are very fine and delicate at the edges of the outer surface but reveal a more sturdy columella. The whole of this small one was a little more robust and so made it home in my pocket without further damage.

This is posting a little late - I am behind after a fun filled half term with birthday celebrations. I'm not sure how my son can be 11 already but here we are.

Broken but still beautiful - August & September drawings

 

Broken but Still Beautiful August   pencil on paper ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

A little bit different to previous drawings again. August's model suggested line quality should be the focus and I thought 'who am I to argue?'...except argue I did as I wanted to add shadows to the form half way through and added hatching which would have been more sympathetic if I was using ink. I know, I know, I should have listened....it's a lesson I haven't learnt thus far....hey ho. Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn.

Broken but Still Beautiful September   pencil on paper ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

I think my listening skills improved this month as beautiful Dame September adorned with a patina of barnacles and sumptuous textures modelled some intriguing shapes and forms. I have a feeling that I will return to this specimen in the future as I enjoyed the interlocking shapes of the barnacles so much.

Fingers crossed the glitch in the comments is fixed. I'm not sure how or why but fingers crossed.

Emerging - Broken but Still Beautiful - June

 

Emerging   mixed media on paper 33x75cm   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

A much bigger beauty for June, I felt like a larger scale and a bit of blue. I think it suits her - loud and proud.

Using a swordliner brush in the background for the sinuous lines that I feel echo both shell and the idea of water, it felt good to stretch a bit. I used a combination of watercolour, watersoluble pencils, gouache and acrylic ink to get the darkest darks. Back to pencil next month I think.

Emerging   mixed media   prints, stationery and accessories available at RedBubble   ©2024LisaLeQulenec

Broken but still beautiful V

 

Broken But Still Beautiful V

A little bit of a change this month - after starting out in pencil I thought this one was a dramatic enough shape to explore in ink with more extreme tonal contrasts. I quite like the stronger background. 

Stages of Broken But Still Beautiful V  A4-ish acrylic ink  ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

This month's model was acquired in Longniddry, Scotland. I was astonished at the size of the shells I found there. The majority of the whelks (and scallops) that I found there were at least twice/three times the size of the largest ones that I find along the South Coast (size comparison in the photo below). I collected a few beautifully broken ones and one with the most stunning 'pashmina' of barnacles. I will save this one for later in the year, maybe an extra large version when I can work outside... 

Whelks ©2024LisaLeQuelenec