Humpback whale

Post Reply
User avatar
Keitha
Posts: 3539
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:21 pm
Location: Barrie, Canada
Contact:

Humpback whale

Post by Keitha »

My upcoming trip to Alaska had me wondering if we'll see whales, hence the subject of this page. I'm constantly surprised when I do one of these, at the details I learn as I'm drawing and researching notes. We're probably all aware that no two whales' flukes are the same, making them a useful tool for identification. What I didn't realize was that photographic Fluke ID catalogs abound the world over, helping researchers track their movements and age, if photos were recorded while it was a calf. I also learned that in Southeast Alaska, 70% of whales' flukes are almost all black, different than the Atlantic whales I've seen previously. In that case other identifiers such as the trailing edge of the flukes and also the notch where they meet in the middle aid in identification. Okay, lesson over ;)
My 'watery' background was done by laying cling wrap over the paint while wet and letting it dry. I do not recommend doing this without first masking your main image - ask me how I know!
Attachments
DSCN4819_r.jpg
DSCN4819_r.jpg (204.38 KiB) Viewed 601 times
User avatar
katymjo
Posts: 2216
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:27 am

Re: Humpback whale

Post by katymjo »

What a beautiful page for your travel journal, Keitha. That "cling wrap" technique makes superb water!
User avatar
jfugina
Posts: 7480
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:30 pm
Location: St. Louis

Re: Humpback whale

Post by jfugina »

That's so cool! Nicely done!
Julie Fugina
#26 in the order of the PAO
User avatar
troublesmom
Posts: 14412
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:53 pm
Contact:

Re: Humpback whale

Post by troublesmom »

Wonderful job on that page. I think whales are so very interesting. I hope you are able to see them.

I remember our trip to Hawaii and going out on one of the boat tours. We were all curious as to whether we would see any whales. They told us most likely not since this was April they were pretty much gone. Low and behold we did get lucky enough to see a mother and her calf. They actually came right under our boat. Very cool, but kind of scary.
Cheryl
Myrtle Beach
#59 in order PAO
User avatar
paddlegal
Posts: 7211
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:41 am

Re: Humpback whale

Post by paddlegal »

Wow Keitha! Your whale drawings are outstanding and beautifully done...you really have talent. Love the water technique also. What a great journal page.

Fascinating about the whale flukes and how it IDs them. This reminds me of IDing Buteos (Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, Swainson’s Hawks to name a few in that family) and how wing and tails are big field marks in identification.


Isn’t nature great?
FARLEY in Sacramento
User avatar
pamcook
Posts: 20219
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 11:11 am
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Contact:

Re: Humpback whale

Post by pamcook »

:clap:
Pam Cook #48
Debbie J

Re: Humpback whale

Post by Debbie J »

Great job and if you take a whale watching trip at Juneau you are almost guaranteed. We saw about 50 that were bubble feeding (if you don't know what that is search youtube) and it was amazing. Well worth the dollars spent.
User avatar
pbp908
Posts: 12259
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 8:42 pm
Contact:

Re: Humpback whale

Post by pbp908 »

Beautiful. Whales are so fascinating.
Pam P.
Number 5 In the Order of PAO



http://www.pamsmeanderingthoughts.blogspot.com
User avatar
jmp1022
Posts: 8143
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:23 am

Re: Humpback whale

Post by jmp1022 »

nicely done and interesting
Jill P
# 42 in order PAO
http://jmp1022.blogspot.com/

Northeast Illinois
User avatar
Monica
Posts: 11464
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:51 pm
Location: crazed....
Contact:

Re: Humpback whale

Post by Monica »

Very cool! Whales are really neat.
No. 28 in the Order of PAO
Chief Bearer of the Torch and Admin
User avatar
azemigh
Posts: 6318
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:16 pm
Location: The Coast

Re: Humpback whale

Post by azemigh »

Beautiful drawings, Keitha! Such a wonderful subject. My daughter-in-law does volunteer work for Cascadia Research and her main subject is identifying whales by their flukes. She recognizes them readily now when they send her a new batch of photos for identification.
User avatar
mpizzazz
Posts: 10316
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:33 pm
Location: Urangan, Australia

Re: Humpback whale

Post by mpizzazz »

That turned out beautifully! I love that cling wrap on paint technique.
marianne
#57 in the order of PAO

Our travels
http://ratbagp.blogspot.com
fuzzylover

Re: Humpback whale

Post by fuzzylover »

What a great addition to your scrapping that page will be - you did a beautiful job painting those whales.
Post Reply