Original colored pencil illustration inspired by coral reefs, where fish become leaves to celebrate the ocean as a source of life.

Year

2026

Medium

Colored pencils on blue paper

Technique

Black and white colored pencils

Dimensions

41.6 × 29.5 cm (16.4 × 11.6 in)

Status

Available

Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. Their intricate three-dimensional structures provide shelter, breeding grounds, and feeding opportunities for countless marine species, making them one of the ocean’s greatest sources of life.

Tree of Fish reimagines this ecological role through a visual metaphor. Instead of branches covered with leaves, a coral becomes a tree whose leaves are fish. From a distance, they remain unmistakably fish. Looking closer, however, their bodies reveal the delicate venation of leaves, inviting viewers to discover unexpected connections between terrestrial and marine life.

Created using only black and white colored pencils on blue paper, the illustration explores how contrast, texture, and careful layering can create depth without relying on color. This piece also marked my first large-format colored pencil artwork and was developed during the Complete Illustration Program at Casatinta under the guidance of Leonardo Palencia. Through this work, I continue exploring how visual storytelling can help reveal the beauty and ecological importance of marine life.

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🌿 Nature Inspiration

Coral reefs are often called the rainforests of the sea because they support an extraordinary diversity of life. Although they cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, they provide habitat for approximately 25% of all known marine species.

Rather than depicting a reef realistically, Tree of Fish translates this ecological role into a visual metaphor: a living structure whose “leaves” are fish, celebrating coral reefs as ecosystems that sustain life beneath the ocean’s surface.