In February 2025, I completed my second massive A3 piece: an intricate architectural study of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. This was a highly personal project, created as a special 60th birthday present for my mum. While she was born in Australia, her parents were born in Russia, and her entire upbringing was deeply shaped by her Russian heritage. She still speaks with her cousins overseas regularly and keeps the culture alive through traditional cooking. Gifted to her for a milestone birthday, this piece brought a piece of her history into the physical world.

The legendary architecture of St. Basil’s—with its complex onion domes, geometric brickwork, and twisting structural spires—presented a phenomenal, sprawling landscape for technical dot work.

Hand-inked on an A3 canvas using micro fine-liners. I spent countless hours mapping out the contrasting patterns of the famous domes, shifting between geometric line weights and dense stippling gradients to capture the cathedral's grand, three-dimensional scale.

Unlike organic animals or character flash sheets, classical architecture demands immense discipline in symmetry and perspective. Getting the overlapping towers to sit perfectly while varying the ink densities to show depth was an intense test of focus.

Beyond expanding my portfolio into larger scale, complex subjects, this drawing is pure sentiment. It connects my artwork directly to my family's heritage and stands as a proud, permanent tribute to my mum and her roots.