The Foxes’ Reel

Process Notes

This illustration was created using a limited three-colour palette, with each colour treated as a separate layer, drawing from the methods of traditional printmaking. I’m attracted to this approach because it mirrors the restraint of analogue processes, where decisions are deliberate and the image is built slowly.

What I love about printmaking is it allows for the unpredictable and almost mysterious forces to appear. No two prints are ever exactly the same. Small imperfections, misalignments, and texture shifts give each piece its own character. Those “mistakes” aren’t flaws; they’re what give the work a sense of life.

Using these brushes digitally allows me to bring that personality back into the process. The marks feel less controlled, more human, and closer to the tactile quality of ink on paper. The goal isn’t to imitate print perfectly, but to capture its spirit — the warmth, the variation, and the quiet surprises that emerge along the way.

The inspiration for this piece came from a simple idea: I wanted to draw an animal playing the fiddle, and a fox felt like a natural, sweet choice. The two foxes themselves are inspired by my friends Matt and Erica, who are wonderful musicians. Their music, rooted in traditional folk and string-band music helped shape the mood of this illustration. You can hear their work with the Darlin’ Corey Band.