Blue Whales in Open Water

Two whales travel through open blue water, with the larger animal passing close across the lower half of the picture. Its long flipper, ridged throat and mottled back give the body several strong edges to follow. A second whale moves higher in the distance, softened by the brighter water around the surface.

The main whale is easiest to build from the head and pale underside. Its tail reaches back into darker blue, where bubbles and suspended specks make the background less empty than it first appears. The upper whale has a different angle and a smaller outline, so it can be kept separate until the central water is in place. Narrow shafts of light join both parts of the scene.