Photo Studies Oiltip: Oil & Acrylic On Canvas by Greg Balster
On a day-trip to Koh Pi Pi island off the coast of Phuket in the Andaman Sea on December 26th 2002 (two years to the day before the island was hit by the tsunami ), I saw many of these longtail boats they use for transporting large groups of tourists around the islands. The 'tail' refers to the propeller that enters the water some 20-30 feet behind the boat from the engine, which is as loud as you can imagine. The first picture below is a nice shot of the name "oiltip" and the Thai flag colors red, white and blue.
The longtail boats are all decorated and painted differently and I knew immediately that I wanted to make a painting of one sitting beached in this tropical paradise. With the Thai flag draped around it's bow, I chose the "oiltip." I took some photos between snorkeling and sunbathing and combined the best of them to make my Oiltip acrylic and oil painting. These longtail boats are such a staple of Thai culture and whenever I look at this painting I long to return to beautiful Koh Pi Pi island. The second picture is another shot of a longtail boat, with some cliffs visible in the background.
