French Hen

My great-aunt always kept hens in her farmyard shed; Rhode Island Reds, Silkies and, my personal favourite, the Plymouth Rock. There is a chicness about these hens that feels undeniably Parisian. The distinctive black and white feathers, the striking colour palette - features that lend themselves to print-making.

I etched my image onto a copper plate, scratching away the waxy surface. Then, I decided to experiment with Aquatint for the first time, deciding my chicken deserved to have a bit of depth about her. Lastly, and my most favourite part, I played around with colours. I tried out a number of different colour backgrounds, pinks and blues, but finally opted for plain white, deciding my chic chicken needed a pristine backdrop.