[Mike McCarty]

I wish someone had told me this: Ask yourself what percentage of your painting deals with "portraiture"? I spent so much time painting these seductive little scenes, and although there was benefit in putting paint on the canvas, I learned very little about the task at hand. A portrait painter will be judged (mostly) on his ability to paint 1) a likeness 2) skin tones, 3) hair, and then down the list. For the most part what is left is landscape. My recommendation would be to choose projects which reduce the landscape and increase the percentage of those items which are most important. Best of luck, don't stop.