Stage 4; I've worked across the width of the grassy plain at the the back, gradually adjusting some of the colours as I've gone to reflect the change in the angle of the light source. At the left of the picture, where one is looking more towards the sun, the colour is dominated by cool greens caused by light shining through dew drops on the grass. As one moves right across the picture light is reflected less off the dew drops and reflects more of the true colour of the grass.

Stage 3; I've painted in the background hillside and the elephant seals., and have started on the grassy plain at top right. Pitching colour and tone correctly at this stage has been crucial as it

helps set the quality of the light in the picture.

The seals had steam rising from them as the sun burnt off moisture into the cool air of early morning.

Stage 2; I've added some 'local colour' in very thin paint to start to get a feel for the light and atmosphere I'm looking for.

The moultings; This is the first stage of a new oil painting of elephant seals and king penguins at Diaz cove on the south shore of South Georgia. They are all undergoing moult - the seals are shedding old fur and the penguins, many of them immature birds, are picking out the last vestiges of their old plumage. Size; 28" x 40".

Finished painting.

Stage 14: Having completed the seals and sprayed on the wind-blown sand in front of them I have now started working on the penguins. I've done the heads and grey backs of the three and a bit left-hand standing birds. I'll do the same to the remaining standing birds and then do their white fronts. Before painting the lying down birds I will spray on the wind-blown sand in front of the standing birds, then add more in front of the recumbant ones when I've finished painting them.

Stage 13: I've painted the top and shaded right-hand side of the elepahant seal and am now working around the face, putting in texture and detail. The wet sand pushed out from under the seal has also been finished.

Stage 12: After a bit of work with the tip of the palette knife dragged across with darker paint to give shadow, the bottom left-hand corner of the sand is finished.