Portrait of Mo the Mudskipper

Ahh! I can't believe it's been 5 months since my last animal book portrait. :( I guess jewelry has kind of taken over my life — but, maybe that's just an excuse to break away from a project that's lost some of its novelty. In any case, I have finally finished the portrait of Mo here. Hope you like this funny guy!




Here are some pics of Mo's progression:

step 1: study of mudskipper

step 2: sculpture

step 3: glazed sculpture

step 4: drawing of the sculpture

step 5: vector graphic

ABOUT MUDSKIPPERS

Mudskippers are amphibious fish that use their pectoral fins to walk on land. They are quite active when out of water, feeding and squabbling over territory. They also like to show off to mates and rivals, leaping up to 2 feet into the air!

MUDSKIPPERS IN POPULAR CULTURE

Since the mudskipper is a walking fish, it is often used as a symbol of evolution. People have long been looking for a missing evolutionary link between ocean-living and land-living animals. (However, the lobe-finned fish is a more likely link than the mudskipper.)

The Japanese name for the mudskipper is mutsugoro. For centuries, this comical and apparently delicious fish has been a source of inspiration for the Japanese. For example, here is a beautiful piece by Fumiko Koga.

oh, and of course...

The main fabric of my mudskipper collage is a japanese-style wave print, referencing this cultural significance.

NEXT UP

I'll be doing a portrait of the scarab beetle (aka dung beetle.) I have finished the sculptures for this one already, so at least I have a little head start!

Thanks for tuning in!

Luther meets Mo Mudskipper and Bearolf

Mo the Mudskipper
3" x 7" x 4" / clay and glaze

Luther meets Mo

Bearolf
6" x 3" x2.5" / clay and glaze

Luther meets Bearolf