Digital whispers: The Curiosity of the Fish

I created this artwork entirely digitally using the Procreate app on an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. I wanted to capture that silent, mysterious moment between a woman half-submerged in the water and a fish gazing at her. First, I created the background layer by layer with deep blue and green tones. I distorted the water surface and refraction effect with the Liquify tool, allowing my skin tone to blend underwater. I applied the pink, yellow, and white shimmer on her face with soft brushes; I used Smudge and Wet Mix brushes extensively, especially for the transitions between water and skin. I used thick, textured oil paint brushes when styling her hair in a bun and braid. I detailed the fish in a separate layer; adding metallic shine to its scales and giving its eyes and open mouth a vibrant expression took quite a while. I completed the flow of the water, the droplets, and the paint streaks with Gaussian Blur, Motion Blur, and special texture brushes. I wanted to give this work an oil painting feel. It took approximately 9 hours in total. The hidden dialogue I created between the fish's curious gaze and the figure's pensive expression became the soul of the artwork.