Seadragons Project Update

I started out by researching leafy seadragons to see what I could incorporate into my artwork. These guys live only in temperate waters on the southern coast of Australia. I found that there is another species of seadragon that are closely related to the leafies called weedy seadragons, which live in the same area. To me, they almost look like less mature versions of the leafy. I also really love the way their names go together.

One very interesting fact I learned is that the leafy seadragon is sometimes able to camouflage not only by blending into kelp, but it also can change colors in some circumstances depending on the seadragon’s physical condition and location. They drift along with the current and can remain still for three days at a time, floating to where the ocean takes it either alone or in pairs of two. They eat plankton, larval fish, and very small crustaceans by using its long snout like a straw to suck them up. Additionally, the males carry the eggs similar to seahorses, although they carry up to 300 eggs on a specific spot under their tail rather than in a pouch on the belly. However, only around 5% of the eggs survive.

I made some drawings in my sketchbook of three leafy seadragons and one weedy seadragon in the bottom left corner. I took note of how their leaf-like appendages faded into different colors as well as the stripes on their sides, and spines that defend them from being eaten by predators. The next step will be to get started on sketches for the final work!