Artwork description:

The "Underwater Palace" isinspired by The "Moti Masjid" or the "Pearl Mosque" - a pure marble structure within the Red Fort at Delhi. I have combined the exoticism of eastern architecture with the miraculous organic and architectural forms created by the sea. There are sea urchin domes and some intricate coral in the foreground inspired (would you believe) by nothing other than a cauliflower! - Some genetically modified thing that you can only get in places like Waitrose.

I have always had romantic associations with the sea ever since I was child and have, throughout my life as an artist produced a great deal of fantasy art. I have a particular fondness for mermaids and fairies -something that has also stemmed from childhood which has remained with me ever since. I have derived my inspiration for these etching from illustrators such as Arthur Rackham, Aubrey Beardsley and some of the Victorian fairy painters such as Richard Dad. I also derive a great deal of my inspiration from Gothic and Eastern Architecture as well as from Gaudi (Spanish architect) and other organic, Art Nouveau influences.I use crosshatching to explore space, perspective, contours, organic and architectural structures, textures and curves as well as Escher like concentric and geometric designs.

For a detailed description of the process of etching, please refer to my monochrome "Sea Spirits" etching: the first of the mermaid series.

Materials used:

Original hand drawn line etching on steel inked and pressed onto paper.

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