Check out these tips from Helene herself…
This marmot painting originally started on paper. Draw your subject with a pencil and sketchpad and scan it onto your computer to use in Photoshop.
The second step is to place the colours and start blending, paying attention to the details, especially the fur. Use the Mixer Brush with a soft round edge.
Choose a neutral background and then paint the bubbles, taking care to have some glass, transparency and colour present in the reflections.
Lastly, frame your painting with the right colour and lighting. To do this, add a layer of Colour Balance adjustment so that the subject matches the same tone as the background.