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Black-Tipped Reef Shark

Blacktip Reef Shark line art illustration (click image to enlarge)

Blacktip Reef line art illustration (click image to enlarge)

Artist's notes:

The Black-Tipped Reef Shark was completed on 3.21.2010. Sharks, like frogs, are really some of my favorite subjects. I try very hard to replicate their sleek beauty and powerful presence in the ocean, so I hope I'm successful. The layout can be a challenge as the animals are long and thin, so here I've added a little coral to bulk up the image vertically. The illustration is based on a photo by James Hennigan.

Information about the Blacktip Reef Shark:

The Black-Tipped - or Blacktip - reef shark is a requiem shark and a member of the family Carcharhinidae. The prominent tips of black on the fins give this shark it's common name. These fish inhabit the tropical coral reefs of the Pacific and Indian oceans and along with the Grey-Tipped and White-Tipped they are among the third most common sharks found in their environments. They are medium-sized sharks, reaching about 5 feet in length. While generally not considered dangerous to humans, occasional nips do happen to bathers in shallow waters if food is present.