A mermaid’s purse is the discarded shell casing for a flapper skate egg. Once the egg has hatched, the case floats away, often washing up on nearby beaches. We find these cases often on our island though they are an endangered species in British waters these days so it’s a privilege to know there are still colonies close by. This was a quick sketch and study to familiarise myself with the shape and form of a mermaid’s purse. I have a collection of them in my studio now.