Orcas

This illustration depicts a lively scene of orcas in their natural Arctic habitat. The composition is split horizontally between the surface and the underwater world. Above the waterline, jagged, snow-dusted icebergs rise against a pale, clear blue sky. Two orcas are captured in mid-air leaps, creating splashes as they break the surface, while a third smaller whale surfaces calmly near the ice.

Beneath the surface, the deep blue water is illuminated by shafts of sunlight filtering down from above. A small pod of orcas, including adults and a calf, glides gracefully through the clear depths. The seabed is textured with ripples, suggesting sand or shifting currents. The underwater perspective provides a serene counterpoint to the dynamic activity occurring above the waves.

The colour palette is dominated by various shades of blue, from the icy white-and-light-blue mountains to the deep, saturated indigo of the ocean depths. The signature black-and-white patterns of the orcas stand out clearly against the wintry background. The painting style is representational and clean, with a focus on capturing the fluid movement of the whales and the crisp, cold atmosphere of the polar environment.