Read more about my fish designs | NZ Illustrator
I started illustrating random fish some years ago, basing them (often) on everyday, land-based items. They have kept morphing and now number over 300. Each has its own pseudo-scientific name and lives in a “OneKickDuck collection”.
With minor modifications, they are used by various media outlets as “spot-the-difference” puzzles. In the future they will be available in books, calendars, and carefully-curated collection prints.
For now – new OneKickDuck specimens are continually being discovered…
The Southern Pacific collection features 54 fish specimens, based on famous New Zealand icons such as the tui, pavlova, Ohakune carrot, L&P bottle and more.
The Tasman Sea collection heads west to Australia, where 50 Australian icons have been “remixed”, including Uluru, Vegemite, the surfboard, crusty meat pie – even the koala.
A special set of six Japanese-inspired fish make up the Sea of Japan collection. Five are based on Japanese towns or cities; the sixth is inspired by the Shinkansen.
Another mini-collection of cosmetic-related fish make up the Sea of Cosmetica, featuring lipstick fish (in a variety of shades, of course), blush brush, mascara and a full-on eye shadow palette.
Approximately 13 of the OneKickDuck sculptures have undergone a reduction of sorts from 3D to 2D. In the Mechanicus Trench collection, favourites such as Bernadette the oarfish and Stephanie the starfish are found.
Not far from the coast of South Africa is the little-known Bay of Shorks. Here you find around 20 OneKickDuck takes on commonly-known species such as the loan shark, the pool shark, card shark, and so on.
Way out west is OneKickDuck’s Western Pacific collection, making up a third of all specimens. These were the first discovered fish and include some firm favourites such as “Doner becruella” (the Elvisfish)
On the other side of the ocean is the Eastern Pacific, where we find a group of around 45 specimens including some genuine odd-balls such as a toothpaste fish, ballerina fish, and even a goldfish-bowlfish.