The graphical transformation of a baby on a sofa into a sailor at sea.

• An intrusive shadow made the bottom half of the subject less usable than it might have been.

• The eye-line and hand gestures imply something of concern to the subject's left.

• The child's outfit of navy blue and white suggested a naval theme.

In the absence of any detailed photographs of sea monsters, it was necessary to use an existing sea creature and increase the scale accordingly. The seahorse was the right shape to create the creature and at the same time it wasn't too scary to include in a composition for a child.

Many objects comprise the finished image; the ship was a necessary inclusion for the purpose of composition, though it adds nothing to the narrative.

• The boat hides the problem of the shadow on the lower half of the subject.

• The oar fits perfectly with the position of his hands.

• The hat matches the outfit.

All other element of the image are in keeping with the theme of the composition though they are included for decorative reasons only.