Samana beach kids two - final step... not there yet but starting to understand my own mud!

I had poor source information for this one and had to rely primarily on my recollection of the event... so, all in all, I'm fairly satisfied with this attempt... not in terms of technique but in terms of believability...

I stuck to the impasto gel this time around... and it seems that I have finally adapted.

Lately, I've read a lot about color theories... and realized that my limited palette contains primarily transparent colors including ivory black, a warm transparent black, and a few modern pigments (Azo Gold is one of them). My limited palette of transparent colors is a saving grace considering my propensity for mixing mud... transparent mud that is! For now, my favourite strategy is to toggle back and forth between bright colors and dirty colors. Let's hope my work doesn't end up in the gutter!

Note to self: "I need to keep the spirit of the first color pass until the end... two to three passes later but not ten... to avoid pure realism!"