This illustration depicts a freshwater mayfly in the family Ephemerellidae, a common and widespread group almost always associated with clean, cold, swift streams. They are superbly adapted to life in swift currents with their broad, flattened bodies and strong legs that grip tightly to the rocks. I was approached by an entomologist colleague to illustrate this, his favorite species, Drunella pelosa. He sent by mail several preserved specimens, which are only about a centimeter long. I took them to the lab and made sketches of them under a disecting microscope. I researched online and in identification manuals the important distinguishing characters - which included the unique color pattern, robust body, and multitudes of small spines and hairs. Once the preliminary sketch was approved and modified with the entomologists' corrections, I moved on to create the finished watercolor version you see here. My technique involves using multiple, transparent layers of Winsor & Newton brand paints, then adding fine details with pencil and pen. The final painting is 10 inches high, and is now framed and hanging in the client's office. Lastly, the client requested a business card design featuring the illustration.
