Dance of the Peacock Spider

by Linda Wetzel Interested in this? Contact The Artist

Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie - Art Contest Entry

I first sketched out the scene. I then inked in the background on the Aqua Board with colored inks. Next I blocked in the basic shapes of the elements with colored ink washes. I then added the fine details using pastels, ink blocks, and a fine liner brush. It was tedious but I am happy with the outcome.

Post Type: Mixed Media Traditional Art
Mixed Media: Medium | I do not like spiders but this contest intrigued me...how could I make a spider interesting? So I, went online and researched spiders. I came across the Australian peacock spider. It is a tiny, venomous spider about the size of the eraser on a standard pencil. They are so small that their mandibles cannot break our skin so they pose no danger to us. There are several varieties with their own unique color scheme. They have a flap on the back of their abdomen that they raise and display during their mating dance. Follow this link to see their incredibly amusing ritual: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151201-australia-peacock-spider-colorful-courtship-sex-animals-science/.

Now most of you know I like vibrant color so you know I could not just paint a black widow or a brown recluse. So here is my entry into this contest.

Recognized

Pays one point and 2 member cents.

Dance of the Peacock Spider by Linda Wetzel

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