Thank you all for your kind and encouraging comments.
Garth, there's a long discussion about ABS panels at this post, and if you search there are many more (both the pros and cons of ABS) on the Forum:
http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...&highlight=ABS .
If you want to give it a try and
if I get outside to sand some more of these and
if you take me out for coffee when I get to Philly in a few weeks... I'll bring you one.
I was surprised to see that I have posted at least four examples of my ABS paintings on the Forum over the past year or so. Actually, I do paint on other types of panels. Since I have a lifetime supply of ABS I tend to noodle around on it a lot.
Bill Whitaker has just posted a beautiful example of what can be done with ABS and how to sand it over on this link:
http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=4669
I think ABS is especially wonderful in small paintings where you can really obsess over the surface quality of the painting.
My painting was selectively sanded: sanded in the flesh sections and the background was purposely kept textured.
By the way, I'm using much less Maroger than I used to on these ABS panels. I was getting too much glare in the end product.