This picture captures so much.
There are a million details and decisions that go into each piece.
What colors. Placement. Size.
How do you paint a kelp forest?
What do humpback whales look like, how do they swim, act?
Are those bumps on their face barnacles or not?
Much like a research paper I find reference photos to guide how things look.
I love developing a color palette! Slowly it comes together.
