Discovered wandering across the kitchen floor on an ordinary evening, Kitchen Visitor has been keeping me company ever since — in ink stains and watercolour bleeds, if not in person.
Meet the lesser stag beetle — a small, armoured character caught mid-stride, all watchful antennae and quiet determination. Often overshadowed by her larger, more famous relative, I wanted to give her a moment properly her own.
This original illustration combines loose, swirling ink linework with watercolour washes left to bleed and pool where they please, layered with coloured pencil detail — a technique I use to bring a little chaos and magic into the piece, rather than simply copying what I saw. Surrounding her are fragments of bark and leaf litter, sourced from my own garden here in North Wales and drawn from a little research into the decaying-wood habitat this species calls home.
A piece full of movement and quiet detail all at once — Kitchen Visitor suits a hallway, a study, or anywhere that could use a bit of unexpected charm. Not every beautiful thing needs six legs and pincers to earn a place on your wall. This one has both, and I think that’s rather the point.
©2026 Hannah Forde. All rights reserved
About the artwork
Dimensions: 42cm x 29.7cm (A3)
Materials: Dip pen and ink, watercolour, coloured pencil on 300gsm watercolour paper
Signed: Hand-signed by the artist on the front
This is a one-of-a-kind original artwork. Once sold, it cannot be recreated.
Includes: Certificate of Authenticity
Shipping choices: Unframed - wrapped in acid free tissue paper and shipped carefully packaged in a cardboard tube, tracked and insured delivery.
Framed - in rigid protective materials with tracked, insured delivery. UK shipping included; international shipping available upon request. Professional framing services available, process time will take longer for this service — please contact me for details.
Care: Frame behind glass or acrylic to protect from UV light and dust. Avoid direct sunlight and humid environments to preserve the watercolours.
Discovered wandering across the kitchen floor on an ordinary evening, Kitchen Visitor has been keeping me company ever since — in ink stains and watercolour bleeds, if not in person.
Meet the lesser stag beetle — a small, armoured character caught mid-stride, all watchful antennae and quiet determination. Often overshadowed by her larger, more famous relative, I wanted to give her a moment properly her own.
This original illustration combines loose, swirling ink linework with watercolour washes left to bleed and pool where they please, layered with coloured pencil detail — a technique I use to bring a little chaos and magic into the piece, rather than simply copying what I saw. Surrounding her are fragments of bark and leaf litter, sourced from my own garden here in North Wales and drawn from a little research into the decaying-wood habitat this species calls home.
A piece full of movement and quiet detail all at once — Kitchen Visitor suits a hallway, a study, or anywhere that could use a bit of unexpected charm. Not every beautiful thing needs six legs and pincers to earn a place on your wall. This one has both, and I think that’s rather the point.
©2026 Hannah Forde. All rights reserved
About the artwork
Dimensions: 42cm x 29.7cm (A3)
Materials: Dip pen and ink, watercolour, coloured pencil on 300gsm watercolour paper
Signed: Hand-signed by the artist on the front
This is a one-of-a-kind original artwork. Once sold, it cannot be recreated.
Includes: Certificate of Authenticity
Shipping choices: Unframed - wrapped in acid free tissue paper and shipped carefully packaged in a cardboard tube, tracked and insured delivery.
Framed - in rigid protective materials with tracked, insured delivery. UK shipping included; international shipping available upon request. Professional framing services available, process time will take longer for this service — please contact me for details.
Care: Frame behind glass or acrylic to protect from UV light and dust. Avoid direct sunlight and humid environments to preserve the watercolours.
