A single whale fills the frame, drawn in the manner of a vintage natural-history engraving. Dense hatching shades its deep navy back, and its pale underside, throat pleats and fin edges are left as clean white. The whale is angled diagonally, with its head at the upper left and its tail lifted at the right.

Behind it is a flat, saturated yellow with a faint paper-like grain. The strong contrast between the dark animal and the bright ground gives the scene a graphic, poster-like punch. The result is playful and calm, with a classic scientific illustration set against a modern colour choice.