Northern Visitor

The colors of "Blue Fish" have been fun to experiment with and are worth trying with another image.  While at the aquarium, I also did a few quick sketch of the nautilus and would like to try using blues and purples to create the depth and contour of this elusive critter.

What a curious creature resides in the beautiful, swirling shell.  Pencil on tan Strathmore sketch paper.  Click to enlarge.

The protective mantel over the eye and shell opening is difficult to define on the aquarium guests.  It is perched above the eye, but pulled into the recesses of the shell opening to protect the body mass.

It's amazing how fast these creatures can move.  It's the use of the air in the layered chambers on the internal portion of the shell that help create the buoyancy, which helps with mobility.....who would know by looking, ah?

Although the nautilus is not a fresh-water dweller, one of the salt water exhibits in Duluth contained two resident northern visitors.  Challenging lighting to capture a lot of details....mystical aura, however!