Balance is a study in opposites using a single medium. I wanted the creature to feel fluid and alive like a koi, but also edged and ornamental like something out of myth. Brushed ink lets me switch between those two modes easily.
I kept the palette to ink only so the contrast has to come from value and line weight. Light fins against a darker, patterned body; soft frayed edges against a clean silhouette. It’s about showing that you can have motion and control in the same drawing.
What I like about this one is how much movement you can get with only ink and no color. The piece works because the darkest part is in the middle and the edges stay softer, so it still reads as a living, flexible form. If I revisit it, I’d push even more taper in the tail to exaggerate that upward motion.
