Florida's Exotic Freshwater Fishes. These illustrations will have various uses, including an educational poster. 15 illustrations were commissioned by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, with Paul Shafland serving as Project Manager. These illustrations were based on actual specimens collected by Paul and other state fish biologists.
Sharks of North America. More than 120 shark illustrations were commissioned by Dr. José Castro of Mote Marine Laboratory (Sarasota, Florida) for use in the ultimate reference book on the subject. This project started in 2000 and will end in 2007. Over the years, sharks of all sizes - some from as far away as Alaska, Japan and South Africa - have been delivered to my studio. I usually also get photos of each specimen - taken while fresh - to ensure I get the coloration right, as well as a data sheet that contains a myriad of proportions measured by Dr. Castro.
Encaustic Wax Paintings. Actually, these are layered mixtures of colored wax and oil paint. Encaustic wax is one of the oldest artistic mediums ever used, dating back at least as far as 5th century ancient Greece. The "encaustic" part of the name comes from the fact that the pigments in the wax are "burned in" as the wax is heated. You can get remarkably soft, continuous tones by applying general heat, or you can get contrast and texture by manipulating the wax with small, hot irons that were developed specifically for this purpose. I've experimented with wax paintings on canvas, wood and paper, and found that thick, absorbent paper gives the result I like best. I'm still experimenting . . .
