Getting inspired for 'Wildlife Art @ Discovery'

While trying to have a relaxing coffee at a cafe with my two young girls, I noticed a poster calling for entries for an art exhibition coming up in Canberra; 'Wildlife Art @ Discovery'. Once home I quickly Googled the exhibition and discovered that it was focusing on vanishing Australian species and that both professionals and hobby artists could enter.Cool- right up my alley and so many ideas to play with. So after mulling over numerous visions, I've started playing around with the idea of using the Golden Sun Moth in a painting as:

• there is little awareness of the species even though it is 'critically endangered' ie. as endangered as a species can be before it becomes extinct;
• populations of the moth exist locally in Canberra; 
• it represents an un-iconic species/group of species- not as beautiful or big as say whales or owls- but still important to the functioning of the environment; and,
• I have first hand-experience of surveying for the moths.

I'm wanting to do something a bit different and interesting to stand out, but also just to try some things I've thought about for a while. I have liked the idea of using plywood with acrylic/pencil/pen since I bought a couple of paintings from Etsy by Holli Zollinger. 

I also really like the drawings in a book my youngest daughter loves at the moment 'Come By Chance' by Madeline Winch. I think she's used watercolour and pencil. She has a really nice landscape image of open grassland, which is something I would like to incorporate into my painting.

So I have had an initial attempt at something using a combination of acrylic/pen and watercolour pencils. Still trying to get the acrylic right as I can't seem to apply it smoothly without still seeing the brushstrokes? 

 I think the next step will be to paint the landscape onto the plywood first, then include female and male moths- perhaps at a smaller scale. I've only got a couple of weeks left, so will see what happens!