Skates and Rays of Namibia

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Created in collaboration with Irish marine biologist Ruth Leeney and the Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF), this book is the first ever illustrated identification guide for Namibian chondricthyans. It features 89 species of shark, batoid and chimaera that frequent the waters of Namibia, and showcases over 120 hand painted illustrations (all known or documented species, and their egg cases where possible).

There were so many things about this project that I loved. It was an absolute privilege to contemplate these magnificent creatures with sufficient depth to be able to represent their body forms and skin patterns. Many of the patterns are a complex matrix of  layered markings and gradients that were a puzzle to reproduce in a way that was true enough to nature.

The artworks were created using a combination of ink, bleach, food colouring, water colour, graphite pencil and colour pencils, on bamboo paper.

This portfolio is dedicated to the Batoids (Skates, rays and guitarsharks), with Sharks and Chimaeras shown in their own portfolios.