Lobster Romance | Biological Armour & Form

Original, Ink on Cotton Rag (2025–2026)

Lobster Romance began with a fascination for a peculiar biological paradox: an organism completely encased in impenetrable chitinous armour, yet fundamentally defined by vulnerability. To grow, the crustacean must endure ecdysis—shedding its entire protective shell and exposing its soft, defenceless body to the pressures of the ocean. It is at once utterly fortified and profoundly exposed.

Translating that tension onto paper demanded over 100 hours of solitary, meditative drafting. Working on a monumental scale across Arches hot-pressed cotton rag, every segment of the spiny carapace, jointed limb, and fan tail was built solely using fine-nib archival pigment fineliners. There are no diluted washes, white gouache corrections, or digital alterations; the blinding, water-slick highlights and glistening chitin textures are created entirely by the raw, untouched white of the cotton paper against dense fields of black ink.

At nearly 1.5 metres in height, the drawing transcends natural history illustration to become a sculptural portrait of endurance. It stands as an unvarnished dialogue between artist and medium—proof that resilience is not about remaining invulnerable, but about having the courage to shed old armour to grow.

Artwork Specifications:

• Type: One of a kind original master drawing (Signed & dated)

• Medium: Archival pigment fineliners on premium Arches hot pressed cotton rag

• Dimensions: •

  Paper (Unframed): 81cm (W) × 146cm (H)

  Framed Dimensions: 97cm (W) × 162cm (H) × 3cm (D)

• Framing & Conservation: Custom bespoke conservation framing featuring a contemporary 3cm clean white timber profile, finished with a 5cm acid-free museum matboard. Glazed with high-grade optical Perspex (cast acrylic) offering UV filtering, edge-to-edge optical clarity, and shatterproof safety for monumental display.

• Availability:

  Original Masterwork: Available for private or institutional acquisition (Fully framed)

  Limited Edition Prints: Available in the Shop

• Provenance: Accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity and studio archival dossier detailing creation metadata and process history.