The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar
These illustrations were commissioned by Penguin Books for a book intriguingly titled 'The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar'. I guess the book's slogan, which is 'a fascinating exploration of the awe-inspiring, weird, and unsettling ingenuity of evolution', sums up perfectly what the book is about. The writer of the book is Matt Simon and his witty and intricate descriptions of these curious creatures were as inspiring as the photo and video references which I used for creating the artworks.
When I was approached to work on this title, and after reading the brief, I just couldn't wait to start with the creation process. After the discussion with the editors and the writer, it was decided to go for the realistic yet bizarre look of the animals, and to make them as detailed as possible. The cover was done in full color, with the brightly colored wasp and the caterpillar in contrast with the jet black background, while the rest of the artworks were done in black and white.
The cover of the book was done with watercolors, while the interior artworks were drawn with a pencil, later processed digitally with the use of Photoshop and Illustrator. Each animal was thoroughly researched and observed, then drafted showing it in a variety of poses and angles. The final sketch was then chosen by the writer, as his scientific eye would best see what would be the most appropriate depiction of each specie.
Until now, I have received a lot of positive feedback, especially from those fascinated by nature and animals. For me, researching and getting familiar with some of those species was quite educational, but I must admit that drawing some of them, like the tongue-eating isopod or the naked mole-rat, was a bit of a challenge, but it all made it an even more fun and rewarding experience.
I hope the casual, not particularly interested in nature, viewer will not be frightened or grossed out by the sight of some of these creatures, and will devote a few minutes to better understand and appreciate the diversity of our planet's fauna. Of course, reading the book will make it an even more interesting experience!
