Wyland
ROBERT WYLAND
1956-PRESENT
Robert Wyland or just, “Wyland”
• From Detroit, Michigan
• His parents worked in the auto industry
• His mom raised him and his three brothers by herself
• Inspired by Jacque Cousteau and
Rachel Carson
• Thought he’d become a marine scientist
• Graduated with a fine art degree from the College of
Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan
• He moved to California in the late 1970’s. He splits
his time between Hawaii, California, and Florida
Painting & Sculpting
What he Loves
When Wyland was 14 years old he
traveled with his family to Laguna
Beach, CA. It was the first time he saw
the ocean. Gray whales were migrating
at the time and the vision only inspired
his love for marine life further.
Fast forward to the age of 41, in 1997.
Wyland has 25 art galleries with his
work, and his merchandise is in zoo’s
and gift shops all over the world creating
a multi-million dollar industry. Most of
his galleries are run by family.
Thinking BIG
“Gray Whale and Calf”
Acrylic, 1981
• Wyland utilizes his career as an artist, through
paintings, sculptures, and photography, to bring focus of
raising awareness on the preservation of marine life.
• It is estimated that his public murals are viewed by
more than a billion people every year around the world.
This was Wylands’s first life size mural painted on the side of
the Hotel Laguna in Laguna Beach, CA.
WW 52 “Florida’s Living Reef,” 1993
100 Whaling Walls
• On average, Wyland’s mural’s take about 100 gallons of acrylic paint.
• It took him 27 years to complete 100 whaling walls around the globe. He completed his final
mural in 2008.
Whale Wall #33 Long Beach Convention Center,
Long Beach, California
(Largest Mural in the World / Guinness Book of
World Records) 1280’ W x 105’ H
Dedicated July 9th, 1992
"Art can change the world," he said, "especially on a grand scale."
Traveling across mediums
and scale
Wyland applies his talent to all mediums. From giant
true-to-life sized murals, to capturing the natural
grace of marine life in a sculpture.
With his marketing genius
comes awareness. His art and
name go hand-in-hand with
environmental conservation.
More than just art
An artist, scuba diver, educator, and explorer,
Wyland has hosted several television programs:
“Wyland’s Ocean World,” a series on the Discovery
Channel’s Animal Planet Network, “Wyland: A
Brush with Giants,” and “Wyland’s Art Studio,” a
series for national public television.
In 1993, he founded the Wyland Foundation to help
children and families across the United States
rediscover the importance of environmentalism
through public art programs, classroom science
education, and live events. Since its inception, the
organization has worked directly with more than
one million children.
In 2007, Wyland, in conjunction with science
educators and volunteers, conducted a national tour
for clean water called, "From Pike's Peak to the
Chesapeake Bay — Every Drop Counts," using art
and science projects to encourage action in
protecting watersheds nationwide.
"Cleaning up the Earth is a messy job, but somebody's got to do it," said Wyland, 52.
Sea Turtle
Core Elements of Art Covered:
1) Resistance Painting
2) Chemical Reaction:
Science and Water
3) Texture
STEP ONE
Write your name on
your paper.
STEP TWO
Let’s draw a sea turtle together!
Use pencil.
STEP THREE
Go over your pencil lines with crayons. You
can choose the colors you want your turtle
and bubbles to be. DO NOT color in the turtle,
only outline.
STEP FOUR
Begin to water color paint. While the paint is still wet,
sprinkle the salt on the paint. When it dries it makes a
cool effect with the colors.
WATERCOLOR TIPS
It is fun to mix your paint on the paper.
Sometimes it takes a small drop of color
placed on another to create a swirl of new
colors.
If you push all the colors together though
you end up with brown.
LAST STEPS
Do the background around the turtle last. I get different
blues by either adding more blue when the paper has dried
a bit to make it darker, or add some water on your brush to
make it a lighter blue.
Don’t forget to add salt to the wet sections.
References
•
Artist Wyland gives Long Beach the world By John Canalis, Staff Writer,
http://www.presstelegram.com
•
Wyland.com
•
Wylandfoundation.org