This update is all about learning a new process for developing better compositions: compiling multiple reference photos and “cleaning up” the design digitally before starting the physical painting. I started with this photo that I took in Arizona last year:

A fine photo, but a little busy and chaotic. Also pretty difficult to see the bird in the center (maybe you didn’t even notice it!). So I cropped, worked in another reference photo of the bird, then did some “drawing” on the iPad to eliminate some of the conflicting cacti in the image:

Finally, took to painting from my Frankensteinian reference photo! Not a favorite painting but a good exercise in a helpful process for improving reference image composition.