Subject: The chambered nautilus, one old cephalopod, has been lurking around the deep for the last 500 million years. They have up to 90 tentacles. I don’t know how they get air in or if it’s always in, but like their cuttlefish cousins they float or sink by changing the air pressure inside their shell. They propel themselves by shooting out a jet of water. Plus they are wearing a little suit if armor, which, btw, you should never buy because they are hunted and endangered due to the shell trade. (Read more: Center for Biological Diversity article on the Nautilus)

Process: I’ve seen a lot of oil painters do studies in gouache. I hate stretching paper because it becomes so precious but I found a square watercolor block on deep discount and bought it to try the gouache. It seems easy to work with but fragile in the long run, at least on paper anyways. The paintings I’ve taken off the block are already starting to curl and need to be framed, which is one of the reasons I switched to oil paining, to avoid glass and frames. I’ve ordered some mat sealant spray for this batch and if ease of use trumps glass and frames then I’ll get some illustration board and keep you posted.

More soon, xo, k