Balloons and chocolate - Valentine's Day 2022

 

Balloon sharks (Cephaloscyllium sufflans) are a species of catshark - they can inflate themselves with water to defend against predators. They probably can also stuff themselves with chocolate and not share.

Christmas 2021

 Where has the year gone?!

Oh well, let's step into the Christmas season with joy!

Advent Calendar 2020 - Sharks of hope!

 What a year this has been. Like, it wouldn't surprise us if an asteroid was heading our way or a zombie apocalypse happened right now. Which is why I wanted to end this year on a hopeful note. I didn't want to give in to those annoying feelings that made me question my sanity or purpose. We could all use some extra joy and hope this year.  

As the advent season begins, I thought this would be a good day to kick off the countdown to the day of all hopeful days. 

We never had those fun advent calendars kids these days have - a little lego or candy a day. It's nice to have something to look forward to. A Shark advent calendar is just what I needed to give me something to look forward to - at least for the next four weeks. 

This year, I wanted to include a few Tropical themed Christmas scenes as well because many of us live in places that don't get snow or have cold winters (and yet our Christmas decor is all about reindeer and snowflakes). 

Here's to a hope-filled season ahead.

Posted on Day 8, December 6th 2020 - A Nurse and a Sturgeon message. I've been wanting to do a pandemic message with a nurse shark and a sturgeon for a couple of months and finally got around to it. The holiday season is a tempting time to forget safety measures but let's not forget that the coronavirus is still around. Keep safe and have a wonderful season!

Christmas Collaboration Cut-out crafts with Sharktopia! Download the page here.

Day 1, 29th November 2020: Christmas time at the beach

Day 2, 30th November 2020: Shark in a Christmas Stocking

Day 3, December 1st 2020: Sleigh ride 

Day 4, December 2nd 2020: Clash of the carols

Day 5, December 3rd 2020: Nothing like Hot Chocolate

Day 6, December 4th 2020: Sharky Christmas Ornament

Day 7, December 5th 2020: Christmas Banister Slide

Day 9, December 7th 2020: Sand Angel Shark

Day 10, December 8th 2020: Singin' in the snow (modified from my Singin' in the rain one)

Day 11, December 9th 2020: Lending a helping tail

Day 12, December 10th 2020: Snow Shark

I'm traveling for a few days but will do my best to keep posting.

Day 13, December 11th 2020: Sand Shark

(I should've posted this one first because I got a few "what about warm countries?" in response to the snow shark :D)

Day 14, December 12th: Mmmmulled wine!

Day 15, December 13th: Catching snowflakes

I'm afraid it had to be a simple and quick drawing for today because I'm traveling but still wanted to try and not miss a day. This particular idea wasn't even on my list! 

Day 16, December 14th: Cookies and milk (sorry, Santa!)

I like how the cookiecutter sharks ((Isistius brasiliensis) turned out. Deep sea sharks are not the easiest to draw! The "generic-looking" shark is the milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus).

No. 17, December 18th: Happy, Happy, Happy Christmas!

I've been wanting to do something with Happy Eddie and Happy Chappie for a while.  I didn't want Pretty Happy to be left out. They're shysharks.

 I missed a few days because I was traveling. I hope to catch up though.

No. 18, December 19th: And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet

"Auld lang syne" is one of my favourite tunes and the lyrics always make me feel nostalgic.

No. 19, December 20th: A Wonderful Life

When I did the "sharktivity" series earlier this year, someone had asked me to do a shark in a biology lab. I didn't get to do it then but I wanted to do it before this year ended. This is also a shout-out to all who worked so hard this year to find a covid-19 vaccine and I really hope that the vaccine is highly successful and that life can go back to being wonderful. And that this time round, we'll appreciate it better.

No. 20, December 21st 2020: Peace on Earth

No. 21, December 22nd 2020: Joy to the world

It's not the most joyful of Christmases this year for many across the world. I didn't even feel like captioning it this. But we need to hold on to something, preferably something good. Christmas is a reminder that all is not lost. May you be filled with hope, joy and peace this Christmas and in the coming year.

No.22, December 23rd 2020: May your days be merry and bright!

This didn't actually start off as an ugly sweater drawing. I'd originally intended it to be a "White Christmas" one because the sharks are all some sort of "white" sharks. 

L to R: Whitenose Shark, Whitetip reef shark, White Shark, Oceanic Whitetip, White-bodied catshark. 

PS - It's really hard to draw ugly sweaters!

No. 23, December 24th 2020: Tidings of comfort and joy

It was extremely difficult to draw anything for today because there's just been a stream of terrible news all around. But I guess I needed this - something comforting and joyful to focus on. It's Christmas Eve. Soon it will be Christmas.

No. 24, December 25th 2020: A new and glorious morn

This was actually the first drawing I'd done in this series but it made most sense to post it on Christmas Day. It's a line from one of my favourite Christmas songs, "O Holy Night". What better way to conclude a series with the theme of "hope". 

Sharktivity #11: Bonnethead shark goes on an Easter egg hunt

The bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo) is a small member of the hammerhead shark species. I thought it was so apt that a bonnethead would take part in an Easter egg hunt - you know, bonnet and all. Happy Easter everyone! Too bad we can't go on a big Easter egg hunt but perhaps we can see that that is not what Easter is all about.
Oh, by the way, bonnetheads are omnivorous.

Christmas 2018

"So merry"

"Christmas Dreams"

"Festive fun"

Have a Jolly Blue Christmas!

A Blue Christmas is not necessarily a bad thing.

Happy New Year 2016!

This was actually how I spent New Year's. Except that I probably fell asleep in front of the TV watching "Bewitched" and occasionally the fireworks through the window. 

Happy Valentine's Day 2015! Love, The Shark

Some people might even say that love hurts more. That's why there's a song titled "Love hurts" but none titled "Sharks hurt".
This is one way of making Valentine's Day a lot less annoying.

ps - In case you didn't notice, the chocolates are shark-shaped.

Happy New Year 2015!

For those of you who ask me what my plans for the New Year are, this is probably what it would look like if we didn't have the Watch-night service at church. There's no shame in sleeping through midnight! 

Happy New Year: 2014!

Let's just resolve to be content. Also, is it better to give up sooner than later?

Christmas 2013

Post-Christmas blues.

Christmas card for 2013 (digital version only).

And the comic version:

What do you get a fish that's got everything? A muzzle perhaps?

2012: A shark's eye view

Well, it seems that I did complete all my goals for the year. I try not to make elaborate plans because they never seem to work out the way I intend them to.
Anyway... let's recap the year, shall we?

• American Samoa became the most powerful shark protection territory.
• Shark Week didn't get aired on Discovery Channel India which seemed to be another indicator for the whole "End-of-the-World" thing. The biggest indicator was the success of "Fifty shades of grey".
• The World, as we know it, did not end. I was kind of looking forward to that bit of excitement ...things were getting a little dull. 
• Megalodon may not be the Great White's ancestor.
• "Oh, Dakuwaqa!" Facebook page reached over 600 likes and actually got over 100 shares for the Christmas card! (would have been slightly disappointed if the World had ended at 99 shares).
• Had a sketch made into a card for Congratulafins and another sketch translated into Chinese! 
• Did a few sketches for a couple of other shark conservation organisations - Hjelp Havets Haier and Shark Defenders.
• Sharks did not really swim around people's backyards after hurricane Sandy. 
• Started an experimental store on Zazzle.
• Did not get bitten by any leeches this year. Came close though. 
• Switched to digital drawing with Intuos 4!
• Finally bought a Kindle. It's not the Beast's library but I love it.
• My mother probably thinks I should be out looking for a husband and not doodling sharks. 
• Did not get a pony this year either. 
• I made shepherd's pie all by myself. But I was too nervous to taste it. Everyone else said it was nice though. (cooking is not something I do for fun). 
• I'm not yet tired of receiving shark-related gifts or links on my wall. 
• It's strange that I can't think of much else. But it's been an eventful and memorable (even though I can't remember much of it) year... I'm very grateful for everything good and bad that's happened to me. I'm a bit more grown up than I was last year.

Happy New Year, everyone! Have a wonderful 2013!

Shark! The Herald Angels Sing...Merry Christmas 2012!

This is my Christmas card for 2012.  Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Merry Christmas 2011!!

This is my very first self-made Christmas card. I hadn't done/sent cards in so many years - I wasn't very organised though. Hopefully next year will be done better.
Anyway, I hope this reaches all the people I wasn't able to post cards to.

"May God fill your life with love, joy and peace this Christmas and all through the New Year!"

Have a wonderful Christmas!

..and a Sharky in a pear tree!

I'm not really a scrooge. I must say that I can get annoyed at surprise visits from carolers. And if they sing jingle bells, things only get worse. However, I do believe that this little sketch was inspired by my mother. I'm not sure what I had said but she said something like "Maybe I should make you stand in the corner and decorate you for Christmas instead of a tree".