I've been money laundering this week. Alex went on a school trip to Senegal recently and brought back a couple of very dirty, very tatty Senegalese banknotes. When I Googled the currency I read that it had been changed not so long ago as people were so concerned about how dirty it was and how it might be spreading disease. Well, if this is what the new notes look like I can't imagine how disgusting the old ones were!
I know from experience (!) that money washes well in the washing machine so I soaked the notes for a few hours in washing powder. This one still looks grey but not nearly as bad as it did before! It was hanging together with sellotape so I just used the good half to start this drawing. The design on the note and repeated on the coins is really interesting but I couldn't find out anything about it - the traditional symbols of Senegal are supposed to be lions and baobab trees - so I don't know what this is.
In my 'random sketches' Green & Stone sketchbook using Lyra Rembrandt pencils and a splatter of watercolour for the background.
7 comments:
Banknotes.com tells us:
Front: Stylised sawfish which is a reproduction of the bronze figurine
which was formerly used to weigh the gold powder among Akan people.
It symbolises prosperity and fruitfulness in African mythologies; Health and Education;
Back: Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in a desert of Sahel region.
Watermark: Stylized sawfish.
You learn something new every day. ;) Lovely drawing by the way. Like the "designed" feel.
That's fantastic, thank you! I would never have worked out that it was a fish. It's a fascinating design.
What great skill you have with pencils.
Awesome, Felicity.
Thanks ladies!
Beautiful work...your pencil skills amaze me, Felicity! Apparently, money is a huge germ carrier...makes sense, I guess, considering the amount of hands it passes through.
Thanks ladies!
Serena, it was so gross Mark said to throw it in the bin!! I considered putting in those collection bins at the airport for unwanted change but it was falling apart and not even good for that!
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