Italians do it better
 

Dave, what a beautiful piece, so well painted, so well lit.

I wasn't patient enough to read ALL your account on the trip to Italy, but you must have met a certain Piero Della Francesca...
I think you loved the country so much you should be offered an honorary Italian citizenship, if you just stop picking italian words randomely for your cryptic titles .

I normally live in London, but today I write from the middle of the tuscan countryside, Gaiole in Chianti, I am sure you would be very inspired by the view from the window.

Many many compliments again for your works at which I have been looking on your site for a while.

Ciao
Ilaria

Dave, I love this composition: head within a square, looking off to a rectangle for balance. I also love the juxtaposition of a smooth classical head with the painterly background. Such a lovely painting, congratulations.

That's a really interesting composition that works David. What sparked that idea? Without actually seeing it, I would have guessed against it. I especially enjoyed your detail link. Good stuff.

Thanks Linda and Carl,

I've been focusing on forcing different portrait compositions, like the self portrait. I do a lot of thumbnail sketching then I try to find models that will fit the idea. My recent museum sketching has really made me focus on composition. I think of it as falling down the stairs and either landing on my feet or on my a#@. A lot of times the thumbnails will give me a good idea of the concept. I'm just starting to branch out into larger more complex works, trying to take my time to figure things out and evolve slowly.

Well it's working. ;)

Thats debatable, but thanks Carl.