Turtle Power

Every 2 weeks I post a new art challenge prompt! The new #KWPrompts is #Turtle

Watercolor sea turtle with green shell, brown carapace, & greenish brown body swimming happily.

Turtles Are Magic

  1. Turtles bury their eggs in nests on beaches. As soon as the eggs hatch (roughly 2 months later), the hatchlings dig out of their nest. This process generally takes a few days. Then all the tiny turtles rush down to the water & out into the open ocean.
  2. The temperature in the nest has a huge effect on sea turtles. Cooler incubation temperatures produce male hatchlings and warmer incubation temperatures produce female hatchlings. Temperatures that fluctuate between the two extremes will produce a mix of male and female hatchlings.
  3. Turtles were around more than 200 million years ago – they lived alongside dinosaurs.
  4. These days, scientists recognize seven species of marine turtle: Hawksbill, Green Turtle, Loggerhead, Leatherback, Olive Ridley, Green Flatback, & Kemp's Ridley. Six of these are officially threatened with extinction. It is assumed the Green Flatback is also threatened, but they are incredibly reclusive. There's simply not enough information on the flatback to know how at risk they are.
  5. Marine turtle species vary greatly in size. The smallest, Kemp’s ridley, measures around 27 inches (70cm) long and weighs up to 88 lbs (40kg). The largest, the leatherback, can reach up to 70 inches (180cm) long and weigh 1100 lbs (500kg).
  6. Leatherback turtles are soft-shelled turtles. All other sea turtles have hard shells.
  7. The Green Sea Turtle is the largest of all the hard-shelled sea turtles. Many different turtles have green shells or skin, but Green Turtles are called that because their diet of sea grass & algae actually turns their body fat green.
  8. When sea turtles are actively swimming, they have to surface for air every few minutes. When they are floating calmly, they can stay underwater for hours! This is how they often sleep, among the rocks on the ocean floor.

Stylized watercolor turtle seen from the top down, all in soft greens with indigo on the shell.

You can make any type of turtle for this challenge. I will probably stick to sea turtles, since I am just a tiny bit completely obsessed with marine animals! Do you have a favorite turtle? Share it with us! Let's spend the next 2 weeks making terrific art

Each challenge lasts 2 weeks from the day this post was made. You can submit a new picture every day, work on one picture for 2 weeks, or post pics randomly. This is the most laid-back art challenge on the internet, & that means you have plenty of time to make your art however you want.

Use #KWPrompts #Turtle & tag me @KarinWanderer so I see it!

Pick your social & post your art! Mastodon Bluesky Cara

All art styles & skill levels are welcome- beginner to expert, renaissance painting to rough sketch! No AI, Yes alt text, CW as needed. Have a fantastic day, post something for my art challenge, see you next week!

Watercolor green sea turtle tranquilly swimming by.

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