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Latest Original Paintings|||||| "Kob on the Rocks " - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2011) The dusky kabeljou is a robust silver fish with a hint of subtle pink along the dorsal surface. The lateral line is very well Kob are prized amongst rock and surf anglers. They are found along the Southern African coast line and grow to in
"Green Goblin '" - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2011) Observing bass habitat, such as flooded timber, I am inspired imagining a fantastical world of claw-like roots, dark holes and While painting, I had to visualize an aquatic habitat with gnarled roots and branches that would suggest the perfect territory
Carpe Diem - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2011) Carp fishing, a relaxing pastime, synonymous with carefully prepared flavored baits, creating feeding grounds, patience and a little bit of In general carp are found in murky water due to their feeding habits. They are the grazers of the mud flats sifting through the debris Requests / Comments / Download Craig's portfolio Angler and GT Drawing - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2011) Sketching or painting giant kingfish is always a humbling experience reminding me of the monsters that lurk in the blue depths Africa, wild and untamed, possesses some of the world’s most ferocious predators. Its rivers in particular are full of fearsome Apart from its obvious characteristics, the tiger is a fascinating fish. Their colours vary from place to place, but is mostly
Bass Illustration - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2011)
Craig Smith featured in an article onGlobal Flyfishers website Requests / Comments / Download Craig's portfolio
<<LIMITED EDITION CANVAS GICLEE PRINT (60cm x 40cm) -Click to Prints Page>> Electric Blue Fishes of the tropical seas are some of the most beautiful and inspiring to me. The colours found on the majority of A highly prized angling species among light tackle fishermen, the bluefin is a bold, aggressive predator yet it's striking electric blues I wanted to emphasize the fishes ‘metallic’ colours throughout the body, presenting the fine details of scales,
Turned-on - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2011) For the most part the open ocean is seemingly lifeless. But creatures here live a nomadic existence traveling many Sailfish are just one of the many pelagic fish that travel great distances in search of food. But they are arguably the This epic phenomenon is something that has fascinated Craig and was the inspiration for what is his biggest painting. Big Brown - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2011) Iggy Pop - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) >>>Email for a quote and detail<<< ___________ <<<Buy the Print>>> The inspiration for this painting came from a trip I had to Mozambique's Hells Gate - a narrow channel of water that Three or four large GT's were spotted and seconds later I had a massive surface hit on my helpless sardine. The battle The conditions, weather and just the memory of watching that large GT smashing into the bait at the surface was Elusive - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) I have recently had the privilege of sketching the beautiful small-scale yellowfish in its natural habitat - “Elusive”. Being a commissioned piece, it is not available as a print. However, one single canvas gicleé, courtesy of Requests / Comments / Download Craig's portfolio
Andre Van Wyk and Giant Kingfish - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) Message from Andre Van Wyk: "Mate, all I can say is that I am completely, and totally gob smacked!!!! Absolutely incredible.. I knew you were good mate, but I had no idea the sketch would turn out this well... My friend you truly are an absolute wizard, magician, master, and of course artist par excellence!!! THANK YOU!
Digging In - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) The Cape coasts of South Africa, experience some of the harshest conditions in the country with strong winds and Also known as the pignose grunter, the white steenbras navigates, swims and feeds in In this painting I wanted to describe it's natural behavior by illustrating it's unique habitat and suggesting North American Bison - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) >>>Email for a quote and details<<<_______* Now Available as a Canvas Giclee Print Initially I had planned to follow through to a full colour painting with this pencil study, but, in the end, I was in two minds. Ever since I was a young boy, Bison fascinated me - the large woolly buffalo of the North American plains! Requests / Comments / Download Craig's portfolio Justin and the Giant Kingfish - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) A catch of a lifetime, estimated to be a 65 - 70kg kingfish. This beast of a fish was caught on a popper.
Show Time - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) Apart from being one of the fastest fish in the sea, sailfish are also strikingly beautiful. Although
usually In the painting I have aimed to illustrate this phenomenon, and so the jumping, agitated fish is shown ‘lit up’. As this painting's primary purpose was to be used as a design for the owner's fishing boat, the colours
Ambush - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) There are not many species of fish that can boast being bright, luminous greens and partly because of the The nembwe is an African cichlids and a robust, aggressive and territorial predator. They lie in ambush
amongst In this painting I wanted to capture the nembwe’s personality and character, and have shown it rushing from its The painting was designed as a logo for Afri-G Adventures and also a tattoo, but the original has been
The Spanish Armada - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) Spanish or king mackerel (couta) are powerful and voracious feeders with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Apart from their dental armoury, they are highly streamlined and their sickle shaped tails allow them to reach speeds of up to 75km/h, making them the ultimate open water hunter. They are a pelagic species and highly migratory, travelling thousands of kilometers. I wanted to indicate this in the painting showing a school of them in the middle of their journey, heading for better feeding grounds - possibly the Natal coast in search of sardines. Requests / Comments / Download Craig's portfolio Top dog - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) Dogtooth tuna are a non-pallagic species patrolling deep drop offs, seamounts and steep underwater walls where they hunt other reef species. I wanted to emphasize its hunting habits by painting the scene in deep and low light conditions. It is a powerful predator that is perfectly adapted to dark conditions as they possess large eyes, big jaws filled with fangs and streamlined torpedo-shaped bodies. In this piece I painted it chasing down one of the ocean speedsters - Kawa kawa to underline its agility and speed.
Quick on the Trigger - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) The Yellow-margin Triggerfish is quite an interesting character of the tropical flats. They hover around using mostly pectoral, dorsal and anal fins, the tail is only really used for quick bursts of speed. In the painting I wanted the corals in the foreground very detailed. The branched staghorn coral echoes the intricate patterns of the light on the sea floor and the yellow tabletop staghorn coral draws the viewer to the focal point. The chartreuse of the crab pattern is also used to echo the colours of the main character which leads ones eye to the action of the painting. I enjoy painting a scene from two different perspectives, water and air. Clouds form interesting abstract shapes and also create the mood. I wanted to convey a sense of eminent tension as the cumulonimbus storm clouds build in the background, the present pristine conditions could change at any time. Nature is of course anything but predictable.
Fur and Hair - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) The most recognised animal of the African savannah, the lion, a very social cat, surviving in tight groups, unlike there In the painting I wanted to explore all the textures, from the harsh dry grasses, to animal's variety of fur and hair. Response from the buyer: "I received the painting this past Monday, it is EVERYTHING I'VE ALWAYS WANTED, and absolutely breathtaking!!!
Preliminary Drawing (Approved by the client before the painting is started) Break Away - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2010) Ignobilis,a fierce and powerful predator of the tropical reefs. One of the most sought-after and respected game fish Here one large Kingfish breaks away from the group in pursuit of a shoal of fusiliers. Often patrolling the edge
Preliminary Drawing (Approved by the client before the painting is started) Giant Kingfish (Caranx ignobilis) - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2009) I recently went on a trip to Mozambique which was a definite highlight this for 2009.
The fishing was great and I was able to land and photograph a number of fish species including a large Giant Kingfish (Caranx Ignobilis). The trip was highly inspirational and as a result, I am planning on painting more of these, my favorite Kingfish species in the new year. River Keeper - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2009) The elusive brown trout - robust and an aggressive predator, but selective to what it feeds on. "River Keeper" has been sensitively painted to show every intricate detail from scales, fin ray and rock texture to the water's reflection. The detail brings the splendor of the brown trout to life as it would be in the wild. Yellow-margin Triggerfish - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2009) Just one of the many fish species found on the coral-line flats - the Yellow-margin triggerfish is often seen cruising in pursuit of crabs and other hard shelled crustaceans. Shifting over the coral debris and sand, they give them selves away by the sight of the tips of their tails swaying out of the water while feeding. They seem to hover with just their pectoral, dorsal and anal fins rippling. This strange and eccentric yet beautiful looking fish is striking in its own right. Full of contrasting patterns, the head region being smooth with subtle yellows and pinks, the scaly body and also fins showing very intricate patterns. While studying this species, sketching and reading, I was amazed and fascinated by their powerful jaws. Lined with round, blunt molars - teeth that are able to crush corals, crabs and other hard shelled molluscs with little effort. Even fishing hooks and flies twist and buckle under the pressure from their powerful jaws as the fish crunches down
Preliminary Drawing (Approved by the client before the painting is started) It is always important to me that the habitat of the fish be accurate and just as lifelike as the subject. I wanted to enhance the lighting with intricate patterns and shapes made by the light as it refract though the water on the coralline floor. The water surface is shown in detail, reflecting the sandy floor and also reflecting the triggerfish. I have indicated the dorsal and anal fins rippled and beating as is characteristic of this species. The tip of the tail is seen just breaking the surface. Earl Strydom (renowned fishing guide and lodge owner) with his record 54kg Kingfish - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2009)
Preliminary Drawing The Reef Kings - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2009) "The Reef Kings" is a commissioned piece, painted to record the memories of fishing on the maldives. One of the most sought after species, the Giant Kingfish (G. T.) is featured here as the "King" of the reef. The proud owner of this painting, Petrus Gous made the following comments "When commissioning Craig I had the following in mind, and I included it in my brief to Craig: Having had the privilege of fishing various tropical islands for GT's on the fly, I have often wondered how the encounter between angler and prey is viewed and experienced by the fish, and what would the perspective be from the fish's point of view? On a recent Fly fishing trip in the Maldives, I had a few opportunities to ambush incoming GT's cruising in the faces of the breaking waves on the pushing tide as they waited to enter the flats via the cuts in the reef, while I was standing on the outer atoll coral reef bommies facing the open ocean. I had to synchronize my casting and retrieving into my stripping basket with the rhythm of the relentlessly breaking waves while trying to retain my balance, and I succeeded in hooking and landing a few of these marauders! I wanted to capture that experience forever in a painting destined for my study, to be able relive those moments over and over again, and to freeze that specific underwater moment milliseconds before the Flashy Profile Fly is smashed by a Giant Kingfish, from its perspective, with the angler only visible through the face of the breaking wave in silhouette. Craig's painting evokes that special instant perfectly, and every time I admire the painting I am momentarily once more transported to that deserted outer reef, and I can smell and taste the salt air, hear the crashing of the waves on the coral buttress and the sound of the 12 weight fly line being retrieved through the rod eyes, feel the relentless pounding of the breaking waves, the sinuous fly line between my fingers and the accelerating rhythms of my heartbeat, and visualise that special moment of anticipation just before the fly is smashed while I am stripping the fly as fast as I can... Well done Craig!!!" - Dr. Petrus Gous
Sailfish Launch - (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2009) >>>Email for a quote and details<<< In my latest oil painting, I wanted to take the viewer into the world of high swells, wind, rain and leaping billfish. A world that in it’s grandness can leave one awestruck, not only for the wondrous creatures but also it’s impressive power. The fastest fish in the sea, sailfish are just one of many oceanic inhabitants that evoke vivid images of the tug-of-war between fishermen and blue-water brute. A battle that usually results in bruised egos or broken tackle. They symbolize power, speed and agility that few other game fish can match. A hook-up with a sailfish can leave you with some of the most memorable fishing. Craig wanted to depict the sea and environment “alive”, ever-changing and tangible. The fishing boat is pictured being fragile against the rising and falling swell. The misty rain, creating the mood, draws the eye past the boat only to be brought back into the picture by the presence of the sailfish rising diagonally, piercing through the mist. The sailfish, being the focus, had to be painted in great detail with the characteristic “Sail” fully outstretched. The fly, tossing as the fish tries to rid of it, allows the viewer to derive their own result. The sight of gulls indicates a presence of bait-fish that are close to the surface.
The Back-line Greyhounds - Garrick / Leervis (Copyright Craig Bertram Smith-2009) As the waves roll in while fishing off the rocks, I often find my self imagining what is actually happening just below the surface. I have seen ghost-like shadows of predators bursting through the surf in pursuit of their prey. Above water, on the other hand, it remains an eerie experience. Nearly everything that happens below the water is left to my imagination, where the predators show up as monsters with grizzly teeth.This has fed my life-long obsession with water and the ocean. It has inspired me to conjure up scenes and stories which I have portrayed in my paintings. This commissioned piece presented quite a challenge. The idea requested was to paint an underwater scene of Garrick (Leervis) hunting, but at the same time showing the fly fisherman stripping the fly through the surface water. This inspired me so much!
Preliminary Drawing (Approved by the client before the painting is started) After extensive research I began sketching, ending up with a conceptual drawing. I wanted to portray the Garrick chasing after a fly rather than have the fish already hooked. This enhanced the tension in the painting - the viewer becomes the participant - at this point there is no predictable outcome. This leads one to be drawn into the scenario and become a part of the painting. Two other Garrick are seen in the background, as they often hunt in small groups. Mullet dash away for cover. The water level cuts diagonally through the painting, and above it the habitat of the fisherman. We have quite rough seas in South Africa with great waves and strong currents. I wanted to indicate the turbulence of the water by giving movement as the strands of kelp fronds ripple and wave in the tossing sea. Garrick are often found patrolling just behind the back-line where the waves start forming, so I felt that I needed to show them swimming through. I really enjoyed painting the intricate patterns of light on the fish in the foreground, it's reflection off the water above it, as well as the subtle rock structure and seaweed suggested in the watery mist.
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All artwork and text is copyright 2009 Craig Bertram Smith. All rights reserved.
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