Sharktober: Shark Band

 As you know, I've done several shark bands over the years: Blues band, Rock Band and Country Band. Instead of a simple repost, I decided to update them. The country band has probably gone through the most change with the Opry tribute background. 

Shark Week 2020!

 Shark Week doesn't really air in India the same time as the rest of the world. At first it bothered me that I couldn't take part in all the fun. And then I was educated enlightened by Dr.David Shiffman a couple of years ago and now I find the de-sensationalising of Shark Week even more fun. 

However, I do find their episode titles rather exciting (as intended) and I enjoyed drawing my take on the titles. Here are the ones from 2017 and 2016.  This year's titles attempt to be intriguing but it loses its hook once you realise that it's just some over-hyped shark drama below the surface. 

Anyway, I thought I'd choose some of the titles from this year's lineup. 

1. Air Jaws: Ultimate Breach off  (10th Aug)

2. Jaws awakens (11th August)

3. Extinct or Alive: Land of the Lost Sharks (12th August)

I heard that a few diverse sharks were featured in this episode including the Whitetip Weasel Shark (Paragaleus leucolomatus), Flapnose Houndshark (Scylliogaleus quecketti) and Blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus). 

Extra: Great White Serial Killer Extinction

I heard there was another episode titled "serial killer" this year. Okay, so it had something to do with sea otters but this title needs to stop being applied to sharks unless it's a super duper fun monster flick. This drawing is from 2017 with a couple of small modifications.

4. Monster under the bridge (13th August)

Monster, it seems. I was gonna go with a Billy goat gruff sort of idea but then this tune suddenly started running through my head and I figured this is even better. 

5. Sharkadelic Summer

I just really wanted to try out some psychedelic backgrounds. 

6. Tiger Shark King

I modified my old tiger shark and tiger drawing to fit this one. Tiger Sharks are hilarious. The tiger is rolling its eyes. 

7. Wicked Sharks

Am I the only one who thought this when I heard that title?

Bonus: Alien Sharks 2020

I modified another one from 2017 with some of the diverse sharks featured this year.

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.

Sharktivity #2: Scalloped Hammerhead speed reading

For day #2, I got the Scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini). 

The most distinguishing characteristic of the hammerhead shark, is of course the 'hammer' on its head. The shark's eyes are at the tips of the "hammer". This is especially useful in reading two books at the same time.

Ghost net busters!

India's first Dive Expo is happening in Pondicherry and Temple adventures asked me if I could do some awareness posters for some of the issues they face.
This is the first of them. Ghost nets are real. Many sea creatures get entrapped and die because of these.

Selfie adventures

I have not taken a single successful selfie till date. Perhaps with a selfie stick (or as I like to call it - an 'I-pod'). I am fascinated by how far the selfie has taken over the world though. They are almost worth a series of comics. 

Episode #1 - Make like a duck

Episode #2 - Ducks don't have lips either

Episode #3 - Selfie-Stick it to them

Episode #4 - The Invasive Species

Episode # 5 - The cheesy finalé

364 Sharks of Christmas

I didn't have time to do a Christmas sketch sooner and I was trying to doodle something when I got the idea for the 12 days of Christmas. I didn't get to finish the rough drawings but somehow managed to do all these in about 4 days. I cheated on a couple of them by using old drawings. It's feeling lesser and lesser like Christmas every year around the holiday season - probably because it's getting more commercial, probably because it isn't being encouraged as much in some parts of the world (being a religious holiday) or probably because a lot of people have gotten too cynical to be inspired by the Hope & Joy this season is supposed to bring.
It's times like this that I wish the world could step back a bit and bring back the simple joys of the season - homemade goodies without the stress of them being perfect, thoughtful gifts without a zillion options including the option to return them,  fellowship at church in the morning and peaceful evenings with family. Well, perhaps we'll enjoy some sharks and remind ourselves that Christmas is about this world being loved in the best way possible.


I don't want to type the entire song for each day so I'll break the twelfth day down.

On the Twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

Twelve Hammers drumming

Eleven Spinners spinning

Ten Leopards leaping

Nine Lemons dancing

Eight Makos sledding

Seven Saws a swimming

Six Epaulettes Walking

Five Rays that Sting

Four Cookiecutters

Three Quagga cats

Two Birdbeak dogfish

And a Porbeagle in a pear tree

Let's Shark n' Roll!

This is my third in the shark band series, drawn on request. I was asked to draw a rock band. Like I've said, I'm no musician so if any of the instruments seem off... well, my bad.

The hammer-wielding god of blunder

This cracked me up even before I started drawing it. The Shark as Thor wielding a hammerhead? Talk about god of blunder!

Happy World Oceans Day 2015!

I hadn't read the theme for this year's World Oceans Day (Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet) when I started drawing this. It ended up to be quite fitting. I wanted to draw the alternative scenario of a despondent ocean but for now, I'll leave us with happy thoughts. It's a colourful, mysterious, beautiful world down there and we seem to take it for granted and assume we have the right to control or trespass or violate it as we wish. Respect the Oceans and allow all the creatures to play their roles in nature. Not just today but everyday.
Happy Oceans, Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet, Happy Planet.

ps - The Manatee is playing a guitarfish, okay?

Race Sharks

I got the idea of drawing a hammerhead shark designed race car while drawing another sketch and thought it would be fun to do a bunch of shark designs on race cars. But I got bored quite quickly. I guess I shall not be entering the car sticker industry.

Sharks in my living room

Remember my first "Sharks are friends, not food" drawing? I've wanted to do a coloured version of that one since I did the Central Perk one. So here it is.

Sharks are Friends Not Food #2

I wanted to update my previous "Sharks are friends not food" sketch and this time I thought I'd throw in a small tribute to one of my favourite TV shows.

Sea Scapes: Ocean Harmony

My sister asked me to paint her an "underwater" scene for her house. She gave me this rough doodle to describe what she wanted.

After much prayer that my sea creatures turn out alright, this here is my finished drawing.

I didn't add the "sea unicorns". I thought I'd save those for a less surreal drawing.

I am #FinFree

I actually had quite a graphic dream about shark finning last night. I don't know if that meant I'm drawing too many sharks or not enough. That got me working on two anti-finning sketches. This is the first one.
Show your support for the #FinFree global movement by visiting this link and signing the petition.

Nightsharks

Here's my rendition of "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper. This is another painting I saw for the first time at a friend's place. It must be nostalgia month or something. This is also another picture that has been parodied by several people. I haven't seen a Shark one yet though.
I wonder if I should change some of the sharks. I wasn't too sure about the Tiger and Oceanic.
And it's missing the red but I'm not going to make it look as if my shark was bleeding.

Lunch atop a Skyscraper with The Sharks

The first time I came across the famous "Lunch atop a skyscraper" photo was in university when my friend had it in her room. Since then I had seen the Friends cast, Muppets, Hollywood leading men and other versions. So I asked myself, why not a 'Sharks' version?

Facts about sharks poster - Different types of sharks

This was another poster I'd done for Comic Con back in July but had forgotten to post. Some of the kids liked this one better.