This painting was created in several stages, with at least one day of drying time between each stage. The images below show how the painting gradually developed, from the initial block-in to the final details. The entire painting process took approximately two weeks. After allowing the finished painting to dry for a further two weeks, I applied a protective varnish. 

Inspiration & Composition
I created the composition using several reference images, combining them digitally in PowerPoint until I was satisfied with the overall design. I then overlaid the composition with a grid, which I used to transfer the shark accurately onto the canvas. For this initial drawing, I used highly diluted oil paint, mainly Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber.

Materials
For the initial block-in, I used Van Gogh oil paints. As the painting developed, I switched to Rembrandt oils for the subsequent layers. I used Liquin Original as a medium to thin the paint and improve its flow, gradually reducing the amount as the painting progressed. In the later stages, I worked with increasingly less medium to retain the body and texture of the paint.