ORIGINAL Gyotaku piece.
Size: Approximately 12" x 16"
Meet “Ella” the humuhumu ‘ele’ele or Black Triggerfish. ʻEleʻele is the Hawaiian word for the color black.  These fish stay close to the surface and can easily be seen while snorkeling.  They will often even approach people looking for food.   Triggerfish are named for their dorsal spines which, when erect can be locked into position and allow the fish to wedge itself into rocks or the reef to hide from predators. When the fish are agitated or in mating display they change their coloration and their blues, greens and yellows become very vibrant! So I chose to add in these beautiful colors instead of painting the fish in its standard blacks. I used a different tastier species to create the initial print and added in details after.
Media-Acrylic paint, micron pen, Prismacolors, watercolor pencils on rice paper