Commission for client for ongoing fundraiser.
I receive requests for interesting local animals, but insects and spidies are largely overlooked. Imagine my intrigue to be requested to finally do one!
Now, admittedly, I am a bit of an arachnophobic, but the moment one zooms in on their little faces, they become so cute, so it wasn't that hard to fall in love with. I also learned a little something about this species, as I had originally drawn the wee forlimbs larger and bulbous and turns out, that meant it was a male! So the client drew my attention to it, and I revised to a female [as requested].

If you notice, the moon in the BG is NOT symmetrical, which lends a small effect of depth. Often, too much symmetry will make an image flat, and less expressive- so elements can be unsymmetrical to set off the balance. I used the moon to frame the 2 faces of the spider- the head as well as the body face. I wanted to portray the spider as we see it- a jolly little person, vital to an ecosystem. To clash with the often "eerie" aspect of their multi-limbed form, the gentle and loving aspect of motherhood- she is carrying her eggs gently and safely.
From a distance, you could also see the form as a happy person, almost dancing in a ballet like grace and form.