Endless freedom - Keiko's life

_{Species depicted: Killer whale (Orcinus orca)
Time taken: More than 30 hours
References used: All 67(!) can be seen here: namu-the-orca.deviantart.com/a…
Tools of the trade: Photoshop CS5}

I have lost track of the number of times someone told me they started loving killer whales because of Free willy, or that Free willy was the first cetacean movie they really liked. Keiko was such an amazing and special whale that has touched so many hearts, and with reason. His life marked the beginning of the Killer whale loving era, and showed to everyone that it could be done, that he could and never gave up. For 26 years he was here to charm people from all over the world, to delight us with his antics and to amaze us with his journey. I hope I have done him and his life justice with this huge painting collage that follows him from the beginning, to the very end.

I uploaded this painting in a huge size (though still half of what it used to be) and without a watermark out of respect. Respect for this wonderful Killer whale, whose paintings I do not want to spoil with copyright. Just don't even try to dishonour this painting by stealing it. Just don't. Well, it seems plenty of people had no problem stealing this and reposting without giving any bit of credit, so this has been updated with watermarks left and right. Too bad.

Keiko - 1977 to 2003
Rest in peace, gorgeous bull

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_{COPYRIGHT NOTICE
All submissions in this gallery, be it photos, paintings or drawings, are copyrighted to me, Namu-the-orca. No one has the right to alter, distribute, copy or use my art without my written permission unless stated otherwise. My submissions are NOT stock}