Rolf Harris

This was one of those magical moments when you see something that looks just wonderful – the ripples from the guy poking a stick in the water, the kids looking for shells in the sand, the lady in pink walking up the beach. I started with a pinkish-purple background. I like working this way – using a completely opposite background and then leaving little bits showing through as I paint. The breakthrough came when I realised I needed to add that pale purple-grey colour to pinpoint the shapes of the ripples. That made it work. The flare of sunlight from the ripples made by the man’s stick provides the focus for the whole thing.