Which of these two lighting schemes do you like better?
Yeah, this is not the final result. I am still in the midst of experimenting in photoshop to create the effect of light shafts in water. I was planning on doing it with paint, but before I tried that and potentially ruin the painting, I thought I'd give it a digital shot.
As you can see, they don't really work. The first one uses five spotlights, and the one above uses a blue omni filter. Looks really cool, but not quite the effect I was going for. Below is close, tweaking the spotlights at an angle.
After working on this for an hour and debating with both Craig and Lady R in New Zealand. We are a bit stuck. But Craig did manage this effect above, literally making pikaia god of all things Burgess!
This is quickly becoming the full menagerie of Burgess Shale creatures. The opabinia is just to the right of the anomalocaris' tail. He is small, tube-mouthed, and 5-eyed. Amazing something like that had evolved on Earth. 
No big changes this time out, only the addition of a school of Odaraia near the bottom. Need to finish up the anomalocaris' tentacles - give them spikes. 
I have attempted with this post to increase the detail in the reef and the anomalocaris, while darkening the animal to make it seem more like it is underwater. Need to fix the marellas - they are quite difficult to detail at this scale.
With Craig's suggestion, I've included a nectocaris in the foreground. He joins a pikaia in the top right corner, a bunch of wiwaxia, a couple of marella, a hallucigenia, and a random trilobite (not sure which genus). Having all these little guys up here makes me want to add more! This painting has become less about anomalocaris and more about the Burgess Shale environment! Any suggestions for new critters?
More detail and shading brings the Anomalocaris alive further. The picture still seems very bright (something I am not trying to achieve!) and I dread water/light/shadow effect of underwater creatures... Loads to still do.
Had lunch, so less accomplished, but I have the first pass over the reef floor done. So now the entire pic has a base coat of colour. Next, I'll be adding details and darkening things up a bit.
Red. Hmm, I like the contrast, but it really needs to be dulled down and detailed. Maybe compliment it with some orange and yellows... Maybe like a Galapogus Crab.
Here is the final pose. Decided not to turn the tail. Focusing now on the background, adding wiwaxia sponges and muddy slopes. Any suggestions of other fauna to add? Definitetly adding a couple of marellas, but I may also fill in the Burgess Shale with a halluciogenia and pikia too.
I'm liking the underbelly shot of the creature. Might push the tail back as if he's doing a belly flop, attacking the Marella. Time to start the final sketch...
Welcome and I hope you enjoy my attempt to live blog my creation of my Anomalocaris painting. Here we are at the beginning, white page and my ideas.
Let them flow onto the page! Check back in an hour to see what progress I have made.
I was invited by Sean Craven to share my creative space - the inspired area where the art and magic happens. Of course, I said Yes!
My creative space: desk, chair, computer, paper, pens, paints, books.
Opposing view of my creative space: books, films, view.
The flat surface for painting, the digital box for photoshopping and blogging.
The acrylic paints I've been using for the last 9 years (Delta Creamcoat and Liquitex)
A selection of inspiration from the shelf.
A model of the stage I am designing for as Stage Designer for SMP's new pantomime - the Wizard of Oz! 
More inspiration: the view out the window = East North Vancouver and Burnaby. I love the sounds of the seabirds and trains...
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