Cups Race Design

I have really been looking forward to designing the Mer race that I would be using for my Cups suit in my Tarot deck. I wanted her to have the color of coral, and the glowing markings of a tropical fish.

I tried the painting technique of doing the entire image in black and white and then adding color at the end with overlays. This is my second time trying painting this way, and the first time in years. Though I think it helps with shading and contrast, I find the technique takes a lot longer for me. I guess I just need more practice

If you would like to see the WIP's of this piece, please visit my WIP blog here: [link]