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I accepted that I simply don’t have the personality, confidence or stamina for portraiture as a focus or a business.
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You said it good for me as well, Steven. We've read it hear on the forum that to be successful (monetarily) as a portrait painter you need to have at least five characteristics and maybe the least of them is talent. I've concluded some years back that I lack more than one of the listed ingredients.
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It doesn’t matter if I put the “wrong” number of windows in a barn that I include in a landscape, but Suzie in the white dress had better have the correct number of eyes, in precise orientation, and even her smile probably shouldn’t be “not quite right.”
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And in those times when I was making money at it I was bound and determined to make Suzie right, because there was a concrete expectation that "this is the exercise," even as you splash all around the likeness, the likeness must be there. I never wanted to have to explain away as “quaint” that which comes from my inability to achieve no more than 90%.
My preference now is to paint those that look interesting to me and then give them away. I find that I am well suited for this and it makes me happy. It also frees me up to speak my mind on any subject and as foolishly as I wish; without the need to run to my business manager for approval.