I made this massive A3 piece for a friend I’ve known since we were kids. He was moving away to start a new chapter and get into the gold trading business, so I wanted to create a powerful, enduring send-off gift. The Ankylosaurus, known as the ultimate, unshakeable fortress of the dinosaur world; felt like a fitting symbol for a lifelong friendship and a bold new venture.

This drawing was a massive undertaking, requiring me to treat every single piece of osteoderm (the bone plates in the skin) as its own miniature three-dimensional landscape with individual light sources and shadows.

Hand-inked on an A3 canvas. I utilized incredibly dense, layered dot work to give the thick, leathery skin beneath the armor real weight, while using crisp highlights on the edges of the spikes to make them look sharp and menacing.

Capturing the sheer variety of textures on one creature from the rough, weathered club tail to the wrinkled folds of its underbelly, demanded hours of micro-shading to ensure the final piece felt massive  heavy, and realistically rendered.

Beyond the technical challenge, this piece is a marker of a major life transition. Gifting a handmade, highly detailed artwork to a childhood friend as they head off to chase big ambitions is the best way to ensure they take a piece of home and a permanent reminder of a lifelong friendship with them.