It’s Complicated
Consider the brittle star – a simple marine creature comprised of a central disk with five arms extending outward to gather bits of food. Now multiply each arm by two, and two again, and again, and again…and you have a magnificent basket star. I saw this one, Gorgoncephalus eucnemis, on my recent visit to Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Benthic Invertebrate Collection in La Jolla, California, and I was entranced. These creatures live in deeper ocean waters so, unless I take up scuba diving, I will never see one alive. I think it might be the most complicated thing I’ve ever drawn.
Tips and Techniques- When faced with a complicated subject, break it down into manageable pieces and take your time. I worked on this for more than a week, an hour or two at a time. My prior work painting tangled bird nests and tree branches certainly helped. But this was larger and more complex. Were I to do it again– and I might— I would paint each section in turn, rather than using ink to help define the spaces. Here’s a look at my progress from start to finish (sorry the photo quality isn’t better, the lighting wasn’t great).
Check it out! Botanical Art & Nature Sketching Retreat with Wendy Hollender, Lara Call Gastinger, Giacomina Ferrillo, & Jean Mackay, Friday, November 8 – Sunday, November 10, 2024, Ashokan Center, Olivebridge, NY
Drawn In 
This is impressive, Jean!
Thanks Susan!
Wow!
Wow, very intricate work and beautifully created! Such a fascinating & challenging subject. Thanks for sharing!
There are other species of basket stars with different variations on the arms. I may do one from another specimen I saw at Scripps. Thanks for your feedback! I appreciate it.
Jean, this is just breathtaking!!!!!
Thanks so much Pat. It means a lot to hear nice feedback after working on this one.
I was so captivated I forgot to ask if you did this in your sketchbook or on watercolor paper. Also appreciate your step by step process.
Too big and intensive for my sketchbook— I did this on a large sheet of Fabriano 140lb hot press wc paper.
Marvelous! Such intricate detail – how long did this image take to create in its final form?
Oops, I just reread this carefully and realized that you described how long it took! Beautiful!
Thanks. All told, maybe 20 hours. Seems like a lot, doesn’t it? But I wanted to take my time with it and try to figure it out.
It is truly an awesome piece of work! So beautiful.
Spectacular!
Wow, you blow me away!! This is amazingly gorgeous!
Thanks Shari. I’m glad it’s going to have a second life on paper and not just exist hidden in the Benthic Collection.
Wow… very cool.
Thanks Mark! Nice to hear from you.
You demonstrated great persistence in seeing this sketch through to finish. Stunning.
Thanks Laura. It’s been a labor of love for the last two week.
Wow, Jean this is amazing! I loved seeing the stills of the picture as it developed. Bravo!!
Thanks Linda. I enjoyed taking a photo after each session. I sent them to my son who is at Scripps. It was a fun way to connect across the country. And I’m glad I have the record too.
WOW! So cool and thank you for sharing the process!
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Thanks Laurie. Glad you like the process.
Hi Jean,
I was going to write you to say that this work is completely incredible!!
And then I noticed the nature sketching retreat, and I follow all of you. I am very interested and would have to figure out some travel stuff. My question is – I am a 65 year old woman, and this looks like a family opportunity. Would the instruction etc. be suitable for someone like me? I am someone who has all of the art materials but has a really hard time getting myself to do art.
Thank you so much,
Dana
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Hi Dana- Thanks for checking in. The retreat is absolutely not just for families. I suspect most people who attend will be like you. It’s a great opportunity to spend a focused amount of time on your art! Hope you can make it!
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly, Jean! I signed up and will do what it takes to get there. I am so looking forward to this!
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Excellent!!
Jean, that is a beauty, and, yes, you should take up SCUBA. You will see the most amazing sites you can imagine.
I’d like to, but my opportunities might be limited, except when traveling. I think I’d love it!
What a fascinating creature! I like that you showed your work in progress, Jean. So much negative painting. All I can say is “Wow!”
Thanks Peggy. It has been a remarkable challenge and good for me to take on something big.
That is a fabulous painting! I can’t imagine being able to keep track of what I was doing on something that complicated, but you sure did. I love the background too.
It was a challenge to keep track of it all. Fortunately, each big arm created a window in which to focus.
Wow, just WOW!
The drawing itself is a showstopper.
I had never even heard of a brittlestar before. I do enjoy photographs of the new discoveries from the depths and try to imagine how many more such creatures exist—creatures we will never see. Our planet is an amazing place.
Thanks Bobbie Jean. I love the sense of discovery that comes from drawing and painting. So many amazing creatures!
Amazing! And thank you for showing the steps. I imagine many ‘zen’ hours working it out. Were you able to take the Scripps specimens out to photograph them or could you get these details from critter in jar? So complex!
I had to photograph this in the jar. It made the edges a challenge and some of the details were murky.
Amazing and amazingly beautiful artistry, as always!
Thanks Chris!
My husband brought home a photo of this star from one of his dive trips. I was enchanted with it’s beauty and complexity. Bravo for taking on the challenge of this elaborate and unique drawing. It’s excellent!!
I looked at several photos from underwater when working on this. How cool that your husband got to see one.
Both the creature, and your painting of it, are just stunning. I tried to follow the arms as they branched, but after a while it is just a tangle. But you managed to keep it clean and organic looking. Really wonderful!
What surprised me was how often when drawing this I could follow a branch and find where it went. But it took me awhile to begin to see it all.
Wow, Jean, this is amazing! What a challenge, rendered beautifully. I read the comments, and agree that giving this animal another life on paper is a wonderful thing, and the connection with your son must make it even more special. The loose, watery background really sets off the intricate and detailed work on the animal. Just gorgeous!! Thank you for sharing your inspiring art with us.
Thanks so much Maggie. I’ve enjoyed creating this and loved the opportunity of seeing the collection. There’s so much more I’d love to do.
Phenomenal!
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Sooo gorgeous, Jean!!! Love from Queensland Australia
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Thanks for reaching out across the oceans and continents! It means a lot.
Superlative and beautiful results for your efforts. Thank you for sharing this and also for outlining the time and steps you made to create it.
I’m so glad I had the progress photos to share. Thank you?
Isn’t it!!
And a gorgeous result.
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Wholeheartedly nurturing the next right tiny step
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I hope that you too are nurturing the next right tiny step! Nice to hear from you!
Everyone has already said anything I might say. Your artwork is so lovely – detailed, not boringly so – and it always makes the natural world even more wonderful to look at your art. A pleasure.
What a nice thing to hear—- I appreciate you taking a moment to comment. I appreciate it.
Thank you so much for sharing the pictures of your process/progress, Jean. As a non-painter, I find it fascinating to learn how you get to the beautiful finished endpiece. Your posts are always such a lovely moment of zen on Sunday morning – they are much appreciated!
Thank you Claudia. It’s very thoughtful of you to reach out.
Hi Jean that is an absolutely beautiful Basket Star, what a complicated project that would be so easy to get lost, you seem to have never lost your way!
I had my moments, Georgia! But taking it a section at a time really helped and I was so pleased when arms linked up from one section to the next.
This is truly incredible! I’m trying to figure out where you used ink..
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Hi Judy- I drew the entire thing in ink first, but much of that is covered over by the intensity of the blue paint. The ink mainly served as a clear guide to what was arms and what was water.
Thank you!
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Stunningly beautiful Jean! Such a beautiful creature. Andyou drawiong and watercolour skills are incredible… !
Sorry about typo’s – can’t seem to correct them now….
A belated Thank You!
That’s wild! Quite a challenge. I can see why you only worked on it for an hour or two at a time. I love seeing the slideshow, thanks for doing that – the photos are fine! I’ve never even heard of this sea star!
(Just seeing the word “Ashokan” brings back good memories. Such a beautiful area!).
Isn’t it incredible?! I had never seen one either…but then, there are so many species, especially in the oceans that we are ignorant of. That’s what made the invertebrate collection so incredible.
True!
That is stunning, but I can see that it would do your head in if you didn’t enforce breaks.
Yes. I really had to have breaks. Some enforced by chores, work, sleep, etc.
My only comment is WOW Jean!!!
Thanks Sue! Glad to have a WOW from you!