I do most of the job with the model sitting live in front of me. Even though I try to keep the model cheerful by chatting away, after 3 hours or so the model starts getting tired, his eyelids droop and his shoulders sag. So I divide the job into several (maybe 3-7) sittings of 2-3 hours each time.
I really like working with live models. I think it improves the painting, and the chatting is also a fun way of getting to know people I would never have met otherwise.
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