Drawing Nautilus, artist Oleksandr Yatsenko

• Artist: Oleksandr Yatsenko
• Title: "Nautilus"
• Year: 2019
• Size: 80 × 60 cm
• Materials: felt-tip pen on paper
• Original hand-made drawing

The drawing Nautilus depicts the nautilus, a sea mollusc, in its recognisable spiral shell with pink and white stripes. It occupies the centre of the sheet and seems to swim diagonally to the left with its tentacles stretched forward; its large blue eye is clearly visible. The composition is crossed by wide diagonal bands of turquoise water with white bubbles and patterned ribbons resembling currents. Lacy coral thickets spread across the upper left and lower right corners, rounded blue-turquoise forms with a concentric pattern appear at the upper right, and two small tropical fish swim by in the lower left corner. The diagonal rhythm gives the sheet a sense of smooth movement.

The drawing is made with a felt-tip pen on paper. The shell is built from countless small dots — dense in the stripes and sparser towards the edges — which recalls pointillism and creates an illusion of volume. The mollusc's head is covered with a mesh of tiny cells and zigzags, the background with a labyrinth of thin winding lines resembling coral structure, and the water currents are rendered with parallel strokes of varying width. Every area is worked with jewel-like care, making the drawing rewarding to examine up close.

The palette combines bright pink and crimson, turquoise, emerald, light blue and blue on a light lilac-white background. The cool tones of the water and the warm pink accents of the shell create a lively, fresh contrast. The mood of the work is light and contemplative, with a sense of clear tropical water and the unhurried motion of the deep sea.

Oleksandr Yatsenko is a contemporary Ukrainian painter working in symbolism, abstract and decorative painting. Animals, plants and sea creatures appear in his works, and natural forms turn into complex decorative structures. The artist graduated from the painting faculty of the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture in Kyiv.

The 80 × 60 cm format suits a living room, bedroom or study. The work is unframed: it is worth choosing a frame with glass that will protect the paper and bring out the colours. The marine theme and pink-turquoise palette will fit well into light interiors, including Mediterranean or Scandinavian styles, as well as rooms with pink or mint accents. The drawing will be a pleasant gift for a lover of the sea, diving and the underwater world.