15th Dec update, the painting is completed
This work is a 30 by 30 by 1.5 inch canvas.
Charcoal sketch. 
The underpainting as seen here is in progress and is painted in egg tempera. still some more to paint on the ship, Then I switch to oil paint and start adding colour.
Added some colour and will be adding to that as I go, its pretty well going to plan.
Now going to work on the island, then back to more detail on the boat and water. Just balancing it all up without killing it dead. I am not going for a photographic look as then its just a photo or look like any other shot though it may work here but personally for a realistic scene to have anything going for it once made into photo realism (which this one is miles away from ) but if it where the intention to head that way then it would need to be way more dramatic then this to still hold up as anything other then a lookalike happy snap. But not a problem here as I have no intention of enslaving myself to pretending to be a camera.
Here is the final painting, pretty much entirely to plan. Hope you like it.
Cheers Mario Donk
Mel Brackstone...
Oh wow!!
Mario Donk:
Thanks Mel, more to do yet, colour next
Cindy Schnackel
Very nice!
Mario Donk:
Thanks Cindy
Sturstein
Lookin’ good! To be honest I quite like it without colour.
Mario Donk:
Thanks Sturstein, Thats a predicament as I do too. Before I continue I will make a high res Photo, So I have something to print as it is now but I am seeing it in colour, its a risk, but what isn’t, more to come.
Mel Brackstone...
I look forward to seeing it in colour, although I too like it as it is!
Mario Donk:
Thanks, the pressure is on not to mess it up lol
Sturstein
You could always compromise by just using really muted colours.
Mario Donk:
Thanks, I’ll start that way and see how I go, it will not be a total overpainting as I usually leave the underpainting very visible where it needs nothing else
Jill Holliday
Oh Fantastic…To see it from start to almost finished! I love it already
Mario Donk:
Much appreciated Jill.