A few Scampi and prawns

I had some scampi and prawsn that I started preparing for dinner and then I remembered that they are indeed water animals? So I put the rest back in the fridge and kept five out to sketch. Normally grey and translucent in color, I quickly sauteed one or two to get that lovely warm red color. Then it was pick up and turn around and upside down, look this way, count their magnitude of "pattes".. and attachments...and all the while they looked at me with those big black eyes.. I did some in a "plume pen" with sanguine ink from Sennelier and a wash which bled some of the ink, as well as my own watercolor washes and some were done in the same pen with sepia ink and a Grey wash. Blots and dots for some water suggestion and there you have it. Prawns and scampi.

..scampi and prawns..
...in watercolor, Sennelier ink and dip pen in watercolor sketchbook, 18x26cm...

Of course, afterward they were gently discarded of...I couldn't get to place them back with the others for our delicious dinner...lemon and butter, chopped dill, the works...it felt too close to cannibalism...after all we did spend some hours or two up close and personal..
I was inspired by these Crustacea and then went for a walk by the Loire in my raincoat and hiking boots. It was actually lovely out...not cold except for a slight rain drizzling on my cape. On my way back I picked up (and nicked) some foliage and twigs and seeds, which I sketched in the warmth of my atelier, with my chickens by my feet.
All in all...a pleasant WATERMARKS day!

If you're interested, you can see the other skerches sketches in January 2011 Flora of the Loire I don't post them here, becasue they are more foliage than watermarks, even though they root in the Loire...