Hayman Island sketch in pastels by artist Alan J. Benge

Whilst on holiday on Hayman Island, Great Barrier Reef in Queensland Australia, I walked some of the marvellous hiking trails that criss cross the island. Along the track, there are viewpoints where you can stop and admire the view.
The artwork above was created as an on-the-spot sketch from one of the viewpoints I mentioned.  Fortunately, there was a small table at the lookout, and I was able to draw in relative comfort.  This view is looking towards other Whitsunday islands from Hayman. The islet that is prominent in the mid distance formed a handy triangular shape for my sketch.
The turquoise hues of the tropical waters were accomplished by smudging my finger across the illustration board to get variations in tone. The smudged finger technique was also useful for portraying some of the clouds.