Anechoic Eulachon (commission)

Many months ago I was commissioned (again) to make a series of Discord server icons. This is the same client who previously commissioned such gems as Enraptured Athoracophoridae and Erudite Australopithecus, so I knew I was going to be in for something interesting. Just like last time, I was given a list of phrases whose words started with E and A, then asked to illustrate them. I was given minimal direction other than the occasional explanation when I asked what some of the words meant.

A eulachon is a kind of fish which, due to its fat content, can be dried and strung with a wick to be used as a candle. I would someday like to burn a fish candle.

An anechoic chamber is a room built to reduce echos as much as possible. If you’ve ever seen the soundproof padding in a recording studio, just imagine that placed all over the room and you have an anechoic chamber.

Sometimes as a (comedy) gag in anime, a character who isn’t allowed to talk is given a face mask with a big X drawn on it, like the fish has here.