Mixed media - A Flick of the Tail & On the Brink

 

Sketchbook study page for Ran's Net Project watercolour and watersoluble pencils ©2025LisaLeQuelenec

pre-painting sketch... 

Stage 1 - 4 for A Flick of the Tail 30x30cm mixed media ©2025LisaLeQuelenec

Stage 1 - tissue paper, calico and a little acrylic medium...just making loose shapes and the gist of the composition. 

Stage 2 - pale areas of colour in acrylic.

Stage 3 - building up tones and colours.

Stage 4 - adding more tone, refining edges, flinging and spattering paint. This was the ugly stage where I lived with the painting for a few days. I tried to sneak up on it and take it by surprise but would retreat muttering to myself. I think I had gotten too dark too soon and wanted to bring back some light, I couldn't decide if I needed to make it feel less solid and more gentle/fluid or keep the harsh solidity of stormy water.

A Flick of the Tail   mixed media on canvas board 30x30cm   ©2025LisaLeQuelenec

I decided to warm things a little and remove some of the contrast. A little more spattering and texture in the paint - I wanted to capture a split second of time - a 'did I just see that?' moment... a playful teasing.  

At the Brink   mixed media 30x30cm   ©2025LisaLeQuelenec

In contrast this piece shows a slightly more feisty side...the literal net is out (fruit netting from a bag of plums adhered to the board with acrylic medium) and ready to capture what it may. This is no playful splash but the brink of something that could become more sinister. I wanted to show the pressure of water about to pound down and a net waiting to engulf and drag off in the back wash. 

Snippet from a photo of the inside of a mussel shell ©2025LisaLeQuelenec

The shapes, colours and textures from this little section of a mussel shell interior that has been sat on my desk quietly waited for me to notice it's connection to the painting.  It too had been rolled around and most likely pounded by the sea.

A little softening of the contrasts and areas of the wave and the painting is now complete.

At the Brink   mixed media on canvas board 30x30cm   ©2025LisaLeQuelenec

Working on these two pieces simultaneously allowed them to influence and speak to each other. By sharing base materials, format and palette I hope to portray their connection even though each is an extreme of  disposition or emotion. I think this series is going to be a challenge, interesting but a challenge.

Both of these paintings are available in my Etsy store.

Ran's net - a new project for 2025

 

I am slowly easing my way back into work trying to find my thread from before the holidays. I had been picking up from a project half started a long time ago back in the days of home school during the lockdowns... A project inspired by a Norse mythology book shared with my son.

One character captured my imagination, a Goddess named Ran (a personification of the ocean) who possessed a net which gathered sailors drowned at sea. She is both the cause and the consequence. I can't find many mentions of her in the texts that I have read and it is that most likely that elusiveness  which has intrigued me....

I have so many notes and post-its and scribbles and thumbnails that I think it is time to start collating my thoughts together.

Sketchbook Snippet - Ran's Net  watercolour and watersoluble pencils ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Sketchbook Snippet - Ran's Net  watercolour and watersoluble pencils ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Sketchbook Snippet - Ran's Net  watercolour and watersoluble pencils ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

I have been going back through my notes and experiments - firstly a very textured detail from a collagraph plate using tile adhesive and aluminium foil tape. This was just a small part that I kept as I loved the texture and colours so much. It's not much more than a snippet but I couldn't part with it.

Collagraph printing plate section   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Second, a section of a ghost print ( a second printing of a plate without adding extra ink) that I worked into with collage, watercolour and coloured pencil. I regularly make a ghost print as fodder for experimenting with new ideas. I like the idea of work continuing, evolving and a continuous thread connecting pieces and projects - many tides, one ocean.

Another connection for these details is the strong 'V' composition that I seem to regularly circle back to.

Detail from a print worked into with mixed media ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Piddock shell fragments ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but oh so beautiful fragments of piddock shells, inspiring textures and compositions.

Colour inspiration from beach finds ©2025LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful - Drawing project 2024 an overview

 

Broken But Still Beautiful 2024   pencil on paper ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

All together, 2024's drawing project, broken, seaworn, and stunningly beautiful models. The centre bottom drawing I changed to greyscale for the ensemble, I think I prefer the softer greys to it's original blues. 

For 2025's drawing project I think I am going to go with the theme of spirals so I am sure (well I know there will be) there will be some shells in there amongst the subjects - maybe some will be whole this time. As this month is racing along I think I will need to make a start very soon. I can't quite believe how quickly time has passed since my last post!

I haven't been resting on my laurels quite the whole time, lots of plans have been made and a new project started. Life has just been getting a little bit in the way but onwards and upwards and all that. Anyway, a very happy new year to you all I wish you a happy, healthy and creative 2025.

Broken But Still Beautiful I - January   mixed media drawing 30x21cm   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful II - February   pencil on A4 paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful III - March   pencil on A4 paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful IV - April   pencil on A4 paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful V - May   pencil on A4 paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful VI - June   pencil on 33x75cm paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful VII -July  pencil on A4 paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful VIII - August   pencil on A4 paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful IX - September   pencil on A4 paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful X October   pencil on A4 paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful XI - November   pencil on A4 paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but Still Beautiful XII - December   pencil on A4 paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Broken but still Beautiful - December

 

Broken but Still Beautiful December   pencil on paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

The final drawing of the project, may I introduce Miss December....a beautiful model to end the year on.

I think I will miss this project and am starting to think what I could do for next year; continue with the whelks that I have a vast collection of or move on to a different subject.... I want to stick with a once a month drawing though. Sometimes it is easy to get out of the habit and a couple of hours a month is very do-able. I shall ponder. I looked forward to the change of subject/material from my other projects too, it felt like a chance to slow down.

Broken but Still Beautiful - November

 

Broken but still Beautiful November   pencil on paper A4ish   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Better late than never! November's model is very worn with a couple of more recently broken edges, maybe walked on as she lay washed up on the sand. 

Only one more drawing to go for this project...

Happy Fibonacci Day! - I can't resist a spiral

Jurassic lino print varied open edition  A4ish   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

 

Another spiral - another ammonite - I can't resist! Available at Etsy and Folksy.

From drawing to carving the plate - for new print Jurassic - ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Jurassic   lino print on naturel lokta paper   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Silence & snow - the series continues...

 

Silence & Snow  original lino print varied open edition ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Oh the irony....I am having a very silent time with an ear infection. Much nicer to imagine the silence of snow which they appear to be having further north -  drizzly rain for us in the south.

My prints have finally dried and they are available in my Etsy and Folksy stores. 

Silence & Snow  original lino print varied open edition ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Silence & Snow  original lino print varied open edition ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

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.

A new print edition in the making...Silence & Snow

 

I have had an image whirling around in my minds eye, a seed that has started to grow for a while. There is a very early version, more of a sketch at the time from some years back that I have always had on my list to explore further. Recently I have decided to just get on with it - enough with the procrastination.

Starting to carve Silence & Snow....©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Below is the scribbly sketch of the idea.... you can see the folds in the paper that gave me guidelines for the composition using the rule of thirds. I am very much inspired by Japanese woodblock prints, the style and minimalism, and although that doesn't show at all in the sketch I think it will be obvious in the prints.

Thumbnail for Silence & Snow

Before printing the carved block I printed an uncarved block to give a base colour using very thin ink. For the initial prints I don't want to show any of the white paper - I'm sure this will change as I explore further and experiment with different colours and tones. My thinking is to create different versions using colour, extra elements and possibly adding tissue paper chine colle at some point. I would like to evoke the magical gloaming as night falls, hazy, misty and frosty nights, possibly a few prints inspired by the recent Northern Lights displays, then maybe warmer winter sunshine. Can I do all of these with one image? I want to experiment to find out, I haven't done this using this technique before nor on this scale which is somewhat larger that I have done before in print.

printing a base layer ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

This is one of the first prints with the second layer added. I felt like something was missing and out of balance - I wasn't getting the depth that I could see in my mind...

Second layer of Silence & Snow ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Testing a third block addition ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Using a small piece of the soft carve lino I cut a third mini block of tree silhouettes to add to the right of the composition. This gave much more depth and balance, now to experiment.

Variations of Silence & Snow drying ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

This is one of the first prints that I felt happy with. I like the looming distant trees and the frosty haze that is lighting up the sky as it descends. I have printed on my usual bright white paper but it didn't feel right with the warmer blues so I have ripped the edges of the prints up to the image margins and mounted them on a warmer off white paper for the warmer blues and a softer white for the cooler ones. I think if I continue to do this it will give some continuity to all the prints in the series despite some big variations in colour and other additions. It will also add some opportunity to contrast a different texture with the backing paper that will show when it is framed.

Silence & Snow  open varied edition lino print  image 20x29cm approx   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Silence & Snow  open varied edition lino print  image 20x25cm approx   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Cropping changes the composition and feel of the image, I might go back into the square versions and add additional tree silhouettes in between.

Silence & Snow  open varied edition lino print  image 20x20cm approx   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

I have just a few prints that I am happy with so far and will add to both my Folksy and Etsy stores. In addition I will put a version on RedBubble as I think it will work well as a holiday card.

Any way this has very much kept me out of mischief, what do you think?

Shades of Autumn II - Oak drypoint prints

 

Oak variable edition drypoint print 8x7.5cm available individually ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

I made a sister print to last weeks Acorns and have popped a couple of variations into both my Etsy and Folksy stores. I rather like working in this way and having colour variations. 

The one below is in Folksy.

Oak no.5 variable edition drypoint print 8x7.5cm available individually ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

I am still working on some larger drypoints of stormy skies and seas but having been rather enjoying the dry spells of sunny weather between the storms so progress has been slower. We have had lots of reference weather to help things along though....my gosh the rain! Obviously nothing compared to the weather some American friends seem to be enduring at the moment though, I do hope they manage to stay safe.