Should I paint it?

Every now and then I see a scene so beautiful or interesting that I say to myself, "I can't paint that. No one would believe it." The sunset from our deck is too intense, or the clouds look just like an elephant, or the color of the water is too neon.

Much more common for wildlife artists is seeing a unusual animal behavior in the wild and trying to decide whether to paint it. 

Some of the questions I ask myself are:

1.) Is this a one-time event or something that happens but I haven't seen it before?

2.) Does it tell a new story and maybe advance understanding of the species for others?

3.) Will it make for a good painting and resonate with people?

Four years ago I saw something I hadn't seen before. I starting thinking more about this bird which previously I had only watched on bodies of fresh water. It is time to bring the memory of that encounter to "life."

 

For water I like to start with the dark shapes first.

 

 

Here I have blocked in some of the lighter areas of the water.