'Biggest fish I've ever done': Local artist paints lionfish mural at convention center

Painting fish is nothing new for Harley Van Hyning. But painting a huge fish on the side of a building from a boom lift was a whole new experience. 

Van Hyning, 42, just completed a 15-by-15-foot lionfish mural on the front of the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center on Okaloosa Island. 

“When I finished, I just kind of laughed in amazement at myself,” Van Hyning said, noting it was his first outdoor mural. 

“It’s just like wow ... I can’t believe I’ve painted something like this,” Van Hyning said. 

The backstory

Art has always been a part of Van Hyning’s life. About eight years ago, he took up the art of Gyotaku, which is a Japanese art form of printing fish that started in the mid-1800s. 

They would record their catches by doing a rub of their fish with rice paper. 

Van Hyning decided to use canvas and acyclic oils to make rubs of catches brought to the docks. 

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He paints the entire fish and uses colors to enhance the real likeness of the fish, making sure to pick up all the details from the fins, tail and mouth. Then he covers the fish with a canvas to do the rub, making a replica of the catch. He then takes it home to stretch and make finishing touches and add his style to the painting. 

"I got my first check in hand from Karen Bilger the end of September in 2016. It was for a scamp,” he said. 

Since then, Van Hyning of Gnarly Fish Prints has done countless fish such as dolphin, mackerel, tuna, wahoo and billfish. It's not uncommon for Van Hyning to get a call from a local captain saying he’ll be in at a certain time and that they have a whopper of a fish he may like to paint. 

However, his latest was not on canvas, but on the side of a building. 

Why a lionfish?

The whole idea of the lionfish is to bring awareness. 

“Destin-Fort Walton Beach is a steward for conservation, and we are home to the Emerald Coast Open, which is the world’s largest lionfish tournament,” said Jennifer Adams, Destin-Fort Walton Beach tourism director. 

Last year, 144 participated in the Emerald Coast Open bringing in nearly 20,000 lionfish. 

“The lionfish artwork is a way to educate about this invasive species and part of our tourism product ... and a unique way to highlight the efforts to remove lionfish and keep our fishery healthy,” Adams said. 

Van Hyning said people are just “fascinated and intrigued” by lionfish and they tend to get a lot of attention. 

So when he was asked if he could paint a mural on the wall, he jumped at the opportunity. 

His mother, who is an artist, was worried he might be taking on too much. 

However, he told her, “I want to expand my horizons as an artist, take on challenges. It’s something I’ve never done, and I want to do it.”

He went at it full steam, and when it was all said and done, his mother was pleased and said, “It turned out amazing, I’m very proud of you,” 

Before painting the lionfish, Van Hyning had to send in a mockup of what he was envisioning for approval. 

Van Hyning said there are so many pictures of lionfish out there where the fins are flared out and look scary and very intimidating. 

“The image I chose didn’t really have that ... it had a softer feel, was cool,” he said. 

More:FWC and Destin-Fort Walton Beach to host 9th annual Lionfish Festival May 20-21

“One of the biggest things with artwork is to have an eye, to make eye contact. It was important that there was a good, distinguished eye that would draw in people, into the building and the artwork,” he said, noting that’s why he chose a head on, but profile look at the lionfish. 

As for the finished result, “We are so pleased with how the artwork turned out, and hope visitors and locals enjoy the added art to our community,” Adams said. 

Painting process

Van Hyning started the process Jan. 11, and taped the outline of the fish on the wall and painted the foundation. 

On Jan. 13 and 14, he painted about nine hours each day and then went from 9 a.m. until about 3 p.m. on Jan. 15, before the frigid weather hit the Gulf Coast. 

“I’ve got about 24 hours total into it,” Van Hyning said of the 15-foot lionfish. “It’s the biggest fish I’ve ever done." 

And it is his first outdoor mural. He painted a mural inside a building a couple of years ago, but “this is bigger in square footage,” he said. 

And painting outdoors from a boom lift was an added challenge. 

More:Destin diver Alex Fogg caught 1,090 pounds, placing 2nd in Lionfish Challenge — by 2 pounds

“I don’t like heights ... so it took me a little bit to get comfortable with that, especially when I had to get to the top of the building to do the top fins,” he said. “The more that thing extends out when it moves, it starts bouncing and shaking a little bit. But I got used to it and it was fine,” Van Hyning said. 

By the time he got to Sunday and Monday of the project, he said, “I was comfortable in it and the weather was nice and sunny. I loved it ... it was fun up there.” 

Van Hyning used Behr paint, which is an exterior paint. 

“The only thing I rolled on was the teal color, the foundation, once I had the outline down, I hand painted everything,” he said. 

“It was a fun experience,” Van Hyning said. 

Initially he was going to use a projector to get the image on the wall but couldn’t get a projector elevated high enough. So, he went with a grid approach. 

“I used the grooves on the building as my point of reference. So, everything was symmetrical based on those lines. I used those as my reference points and then taped out my outline,” he said. 

“After I took the tape off and started detailing in certain areas, I could make changes and adjustments to it,” Van Hyning said. 

Next challenge

“This year I’d like to go into some fine art directions ... some different stuff. Adding in elements of fine art to the fish ... that the fish has something to say,” he said. 

On his list to do is a “full detail of a marlin ... like one that’s never been done before,” he said. 

A full body marlin painting is going to be about 12 feet long and 5 feet wide. 

“When you get a marlin over 700 pounds, they are big,” he said. 

And Van Hyning stretches all his own work in addition to the painting. 

“A lot goes into it,” he said. 

But it’s all worth it. 

“I’m beyond thrilled,” he said. “It makes me really happy that people like my work. 

“I love painting and doing awesome things, but I’m humbled by everything. I’m just grateful for it. It’s a little overwhelming sometimes.  

“I love what I do, and it’s really cool that people love what I do,” Van Hyning said.