The seagull in this painting is 16" tall. I like the composition of the two girls and the bird in the foreground - they all have pretty equal psychological weight. The birds in flight, the water and the striped tents are all active elements that bring you into the world of the painting.

Right now, I'm hung up on the brilliant red sky. I love the way it sets off the figures. I planned to paint over the red, creating a realistic sky with light and depth. But I'm not so certain.

A painting is never set in stone. How you proceed, how much detail you really need, when you know that you're finished... Those are all questions up the road on this one. I hope I've answered the "red" question for myself by the time I've covered all the white canvas with a first layer.