Coconut Octopus Painting in Green and Purple Underwater Scene

I’ve started a new coconut octopus painting, and this little octopus has quickly become the star of the canvas. The background is still very much a work in progress, and I’m figuring out how to weave in a few of the fascinating marine creatures I learned about during my visit to the Houston Museum of Natural History. Each new detail feels like a puzzle piece, shaping an underwater world that is slowly coming to life.

The beginning of the background. The space for the octopus reserved.

Octopus looking like an alien. What an extraordinary shade of green!

Octopus with purple added in. Still looks alien like. A work in progress.

From the beginning, I knew the octopus had to be bold green with hints of purple, a combination that felt playful and slightly mischievous. As I painted, stopping to take photos along the way, I couldn’t help but laugh; the octopus looked more like an alien than a sea creature. That shade of green is just extraordinary. It’s one of those moments where a painting surprises you, where color and imagination collide in a way that feels alive.

Painting is always a mix of planning and improvisation. I’m excited to see how the octopus interacts with the surrounding marine life as I add the other creatures inspired by the museum. If it continues to look extraterrestrial, I may adjust the palette, but for now, this little coconut octopus is perfectly content in its vibrant underwater world. Each brushstroke brings the scene closer to completion and reminds me why I love the slow unfolding of a painting, where surprises, green alien octopuses included, are part of the journey.

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