Preparing the Valacia

Gouache on watercolour paper. Completed 08/06/2023

I composed this as an entry to the Northern Illustration Prize 2023. The theme for the contest is ‘The Sea’ and we were free to interpret this however we wished. My thought was how the sea has connected us throughout history, allowed us to spread stories, and has created a more diverse world that is richer because of it.⁣
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My design for the boat with its many flags was inspired by the Tall Ships Race being hosted in Hartlepool later this year.⁣