The Story Behind the Painting

Christmas 2024 brought me a gift from my parents that was definitely up in the air—literally! They booked me a flight to Lady Elliot Island and snorkelling trip, where the birdwatching was so incredible that even the birds were probably auditioning for a reality show. Our flight from Hervey Bay was smoother than a fresh jar of peanut butter, and the views? Well, let’s just say they were so nice that I almost forgot I wasn’t on a fancy seaplane but a regular one—though with how close we got to the water, I wouldn’t have been surprised if our pilot suddenly asked everyone to start paddling!

The birdlife was absolutely legendary! I spotted my very first brown booby, and let me tell you, bird names still crack me up, Booby, Shags, & Tits. There were so many birds zipping around that I was thrilled I wore a hat—let’s just say a few close encounters with aerial bird poo missiles kept the excitement level high!

The snorkelling was absolutely bonkers! I spotted graceful turtles, sneaky eels, and rays gliding around like they were in slow motion. The fish were so vibrant that I was wondering if I’d accidentally dropped my watercolour paints in the ocean! And oh boy, the sharks! They were way bigger than those I’d seen at other islands.

If I was to paint an underwater scene from this snorkelling trip I would have had to buy all the Winsor & Newton selection. The colours were breathtaking.

My Painting Process

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Gouache on Canson Paper

For my Black Label collection I use Winsor & Newton Gouache on Black Colourfix Art Spectrum Paper or Black Mi-Teintes Touch Canson Paper.

My paintings are based on my travel experiences. Through this blog, you can discover The Story Behind the Painting, including where and when I captured these wildlife moments, old rustic cars from historical villages, and beautiful seascapes from faraway places.

Enjoy, Chris Osborne