Linda, thanks, I'm impressed too, it sort of painted itself. Wish I could have more such days!
Ilaria

Ilaria,

Beautiful brushstrokes, design and color. A lovely fresh little gem!

Sharon, thank you very much for taking the time to comment and for your compliment, I appreciate it a lot.
Ilaria

Ilaria - beautiful work. Love that red touch!

Thanks Julie,

Though it looks cadmium in the photo, that red is superexpensive Michael Harding Vermillion, that I bought once in the hope it will make me become like Euan Uglow ( a painter I worship who was using it).

I didn't start painting like him unfortunately, but I am very glad that that single brushstroke has done something for this painting!

Thank you for commenting
Ilaria

Ilaria, I don't believe I have ever had the good fortune of being able to say that. How wonderful. I love the expression on his face and I agree with all the other compliments as well.

I need to add my "beautiful work" comments. It's contemporary and classic, also in love with that splash of color.

Ilaria, ditto Jimmie and all above... it is so refreshing!

Do you find yourself ever going over and reworking areas or do you seem to keep your strokes free and right the first time?
:thumbsup:

Jimmie, Elizabeth, thanks a lot for your comments.

As I said this was a bit of a fortunate accident: I normally work and rework my faces many times, even more if I am painting from a photo.

But the more I paint the more I realize how actual ability at the easel is influenced by many conditions: in this little work I had nothing to lose, I was not under pressure to finish this, as these people are in Italy and I'll see them again in a month time, I had plenty of time to do another one if this didn't work out.

I was trying out blocking in with a monochrome underpainting as per Richard Schmidt's book that I just got.

Well, it's a bit like Freud said, how many people are in a bed? So, how many people are behind the easel? The artist, the client, the mother in law, the grand mother who finds the girl sad.... so many people bothering with the most irrelevant comments...

Here it was as if I was painting for myself, that works for me.

Lisa, come on, we all saw your sari painting, you pretty much showed you can do anything you like
Ilaria