Using Winslow Homer's eye-level compositional idea for "Canoe in the Rapids" I completed this little oil sketch.  I made no attempt to copy his painting, just his ideas.

I think dividing the moving water into distinct light and dark masses is especially effective.   This was a surprise for me, since I usually think of water as a range of half-tones.  I'm tossing that old habit away!

I'm not so pleased with the stiff-looking posture of the paddlers.   I'll have to work on loosening up these figures, make them exert themselves.  I think this painting would be more effective if we were facing the paddlers, so I'll turn them around.   I imagine the rapids are the Big Black Rapids and the canoe is an E. M White.   Of course, if you know the Big Black Rapids, you'll know that, as I've represented them here, these two are trying to paddle uphill!  In my next effort, I'll fix that.