'Scapin' Shrimp

[Fly Samurai 0]

Hello,

My name is Greg Saunders and I am new to this wonderful site. Professionally I am a visual artist who resides and fishes here in Pensacola Florida. While I am a realistic artist for the most I do not always tie that way. I will attempt to download one of my large drawings as a means of introduction and include my creation which mimics an escaping shrimp.

This drawing measures 55x40 inches

 

This shrimp is tied on a #2 long shank hook. The " rear legs are not legs at all but serve as a weed guard and allow this shrimp to set on the bottom in an upright position.

 

Hope you don't mind the inclusion of the drawing, using it only as a means of introduction.

 

thanks to all that are responsible for this excellent site

Greg Saunders

The Fly Samurai

[BruceC 0]

Hey Greg. Welcome. I paint in water colors and think both your sketch and fly are wonderful. The translucency you've captured in the shrimp is terrific. The colors and proportions are nicely done. My realistics tend to be "fishing flies" so I appreciate the weed guards too!

 

Well done and welcome!

 

Bruce C

[Andrés T 0]

Hello Greg,

 

This is one of the best realistic Shrimps I have ever seen in my life. In fact, a friend of mine send me this same pic a pair of weeks ago, just to admire your work.

 

thank you for sharing.

[Fred H. 0]

Welcome to the site Greg . Beautiful works .

Fred

[BigDaddyHub 0]

very cool shrimp!

[mnorton 0]

Nice entrance, beautiful looking shrimp

 

mike

[Futzer 0]

Very nice Greg, my only suggestion is to add some glow in the dark material to the shell back and front legs/antennae.

 

Cheers, Futzer.

[Fly Samurai 0]

Very nice Greg, my only suggestion is to add some glow in the dark material to the shell back and front legs/antennae.

 

Cheers, Futzer.

Actually I tie this pattern two different ways one with black eyes as shown above, another with white/glow in the dark eyes, shown below. In the wild, shrimp's eyes have a very strange and subtle glow. While the dark eyes look good in photos, it is the white eyes that draw the most interest from the fish. I prefer the white eyes. I learned the impact of the white eyes by observing how small fish would attack the white eyes of the DOA Shrimp, as well as those of live shrimp.

[swink 0]

That is pretty sexy, recipe por favor. Legs?

[Paul vd Driesche 0]

Ok....They are right...the shrimp looks good.....But that drawing is amazing!!! There's realistic and ther's is realistic but this is over the top. nice job on the shrimp but you rock with your artwork.

 

Greets Paul

[DougB 0]

Excellent work Greg. It's always nice to hear from another realistic tier. It keeps the bar high for the rest of us.

[Fly Samurai 0]

That is pretty sexy, recipe por favor. Legs?

Swink, thanks, and the "feeler legs" are very easy, a trick that , while I developed it for the shrimp, has applications to a lot of other patterns. I take a strand of rootbeer Krystal flash, mark it with red, brown, black markers, and then run the flash through a small blob of hot melt glue. The hotter the glue, the smaller diameter the leg. I pull half the Krystal flash through at a time, first quickly, then more slowly as I come to the end of the strand's length. Raise the strand to a vertical position and clip the fine spider webs that sometimes form. Hold upright long enough to cool. Then repeat process for other half of flash strand. Even after cooling the legs may stick to each other, but this is not a permanent bond, more of a "temporary attraction", more like a girlfriend than a marriage. Hope this helps, good luck.

Greg

The Fly Samurai

[Fly Samurai 0]

Ok....They are right...the shrimp looks good.....But that drawing is amazing!!! There's realistic and ther's is realistic but this is over the top. nice job on the shrimp but you rock with your artwork.

 

Greets Paul

Paul thank you so very much for the kind words, I appreciate it.

Greg

The Fly Samurai

 

[British mike 0]

I have to agree with all the posts...thats a great realistic shrimp pattern, welcome to the site Greg..................and your artwork is amazing!!!!!>>>>>>> :bugeyes:

 

Looking forward to seeing more of your flies

 

Mike.........................

[swink 0]

Thanks for the tip on the legs, its a beautiful fly.