April - Hawksbill Sea Turtle!
Endangered species art feature - April 2016: The Hawksbill Sea Turtle!
The hawksbill sea turtle is an intricately detailed animal in nature. Being a very detail oriented artist, this was a challenging and rewarding subject for me to paint. I spent several painting sessions on detailing the turtle with my collection of tiny brushes, and a steady (non caffeinated!) hand. I decided to adventure with dissolving sea salt into my paint-mixing water for the background, which achieved the gritty/somewhat crystalline texture. (Second photo)
The Hawksbill sea turtle is critically endangered. Too beautiful for their own good - hawksbills have been hunted by humans for their shells for centuries. The shells are made into "tortoise shell" jewelry, and sadly - despite their international status as a protected species - these turtles continue to be hunted for their shells. In some countries humans also dig up hawksbill eggs to sell/eat. As if this wasn't enough threat, hawksbill turtles also fall victim to gillnets, longlines, and derelict commercial fishing gear. What can we do to help? Please, in your travels, never ever buy turtle shell jewelry. Turtles also frequently become tangled in fishing nets - it is good to avoid buying seafood caught by wasteful indiscriminate fishing methods. (And visit ConserveTurtles.org!) Love your turtles, tell a friend!
🎨Art Prints! I have limited edition fine art prints of this piece with me at art shows, and on my website. Home decor and apparel printed with this art is also available online in my Redbubble Shop 🐢🐢🐢
Legal: Hawksbill Sea Turtle watercolor & sea salt by Amber Marine, © 2016, All Rights Reserved. This art is not to be reproduced, copied, altered, or used without the artist's express permission. Unauthorized use is a violation of copyright law, and the artist's legal intellectual property.
