A bit about my Process: part 4

This is the final part of my four part series on my creative process. This time I talk about one of my favourite pieces: Glass Eels.

“Glass Eels” giclée print of an original digital illustration by Lizzie Ault

One that started with a song.

After sharing some earlier eel illustrations on various facebook groups as well as my instagram feed it was suggested to me by a facebook group member to listen to the song “glass eel” by the folk singer Kitty McFarlane. I wasn’t familiar with much folk music at the time but I found it easily, thanks to the wonder of the internet.

This song inspired my piece “glass eels”. It didn’t take more than one listen to begin to see the glass eels in my mind's eye. I had looked them up online, so I knew about their appearance (as small as your little finger, but thinner and transparent) and had tried to draw them but this song brought to life their majestic journey. These tiny, delicate creatures journeying across a perilous ocean, even smaller and more vulnerable than migratory birds, facing predators, fishing nets, plastic pollution and more. The melody brought out a flowing movement in my brush strokes and the glass eels themselves were now moving purposefully across the page, rather than floating aimlessly as in my previous attempts. 

A work in progress shot of "Glass Eels"

Glass Eels continues to be my favourite piece I have created and is popular in both a giclée print and greetings card. I'm very grateful to that facebook user for this recommendation and also to Kitty Mcfarlane for writing such an inspiring song.