Thank you, Heidi,
this is something I have wanted for long, to paint my wife. I think it is difficult to be objective when you know somebody that well - too little or too much - ;)

Allan,

Is "Aud" a common Danish name? Is is short for something else, like Audrey? If it is Danish does it translate to English like the Spanish Miguel to Mike?

Also, how did you come to speak and write English so well?

Spel Chek. ;)

Aud is an old Nordic name - Viking name- meaning "wealth". The A is pronounced like OE, in Danish,

:thumbsup: What a beautiful portrait, really outstanding! :thumbsup:

Allan, your work is outstanding. I think next l you will be painting Her Majesty Dronning Margrethe.

Thank you , Grete,
I will see if I can squeeze her in ;)

Lately I have adjusted on the portrait. I felt that the background was no good so I changed the color by scumbling, and softened the edges on the dress and pushed up the colors a bit.
So this is how it looks today.

I love the solidity and structure of the head and neck, Allan: the working of them together into one convincing mass. The muscle structure in the neck really shows it to be convicingly holding up the weight of the head. It give such a good feeling of reality and character. And I love the brush marks that render it because on close viewing they are so unexpected - i.e they leave you wondering just how you did it. That's genius! I meant it. It makes for a profound painting.

(one of my nicest memories in childhood was taking a boat trip from the UK to Denmark. I was about 5 or 6 and thought it was so lovely and green and clear there. My brother and I both had t-shirts in the design of the Danish flag and which said "Danmark" on them)

Allan. I've loved this one since you started it, way back when. And you are still diddling. I think you need to paint about twenty portraits of your wife and get this out of your system!

I've always loved your brushwork, it is solid and honest. This is a complex portrait of a woman I would like to meet.

Jean

Thomasin and Jean, thanks,

Yes, I am still diddling and fiddling with details trying to make that .... background function.
I think that I need to frame it before I can finish it completely.

Very sensitive and beautiful! I love it.