Goliath stick insect illustration

Yesterday I wrote how I have to fit the animal into an oblong format shape for the illustration.  This is my drawing scanned in and dropped into the box on the ID file. 

I have adapted my drawing from the photo references by curving the body down at the end and angling the rear near side leg back along the abdomen and up at an angle to grasp a twig. The photo ref had this leg going vertically up which would have meant the animal would have to be reduced in size to fit the leg in had I left it at that angle. The changes I have made allow me to fill the box shape with the animal getting it as large as possible for easier viewing.

I am only representing the female of this species as the two sexes, in colouration, are very much alike, with only slight differences that the public generally wouldn't pick up on. There is a size difference but as is am I often reminded either by myself or my manager, Phil, this is an identification sign  not a scientific drawing and only if there is a marked difference (i.e. the male and female look like two different species colour-wise)  then I only do one of the sexes. As the females  of this speciesare bigger, they are most likely to be seen, which is why I chose to do the female this time. 

This morning was spent colour mixing and testing for the background colour, which I want as a tone light enough to 'disappear' behind the insect but not too light that any highlights or light areas on the insect don't show up. Then again I don't want too dark a colour that the animal is difficult to see against it. Several batches of colour were mixed, applied in rough 2" square patches on a spare piece of watercolour paper and when dry scanned in to see what the electronic process made of the colours. Some pigments in the paint don't scan well and come up a totally different colour, others scan almost perfectly.. depending on the mix of colour. So after playing around with colour I decided on my colour and coated a 10" x 8" piece of watercolour 300grm paper. Whilst that was drying I traced my drawing onto tracing paper,  ready for the final trace onto the painted watercolour paper when it is thoroughly dry.

After lunch I started the painting by first blocking in the main parts of the body with a mid green. Then I worked on the legs and leaves, again by first blocking basic colour in and then gradually building up tone and detail.