Grids have been used for hundreds of years. By great painters.

Leon Loard Portraits has an entire product line of paintings that are basically colored over photo images. I can promise you that if my dear sweet husband was faced with a photo-ed canvas he would screw it up in 2 minutes, and not have a clue where to go..;No matter how a painter starts, if there is no drawing skill, it can't be rescued.

That is one of the reasons it is so essential to practice regularly from life.

Ha!
 

That is one of the reasons it is so essential to practice regularly from life.[/QUOTE]

Spot on! That's all I have to say, Ms. Saper!
:D

Garth, this one is another winnner. Congratulations.

Jane, my friend, from you, I am quite complimented. Thanks, and I hope your dinner worked out!

Garth

Dear Chris,

Yikes :o ! While I have once thought of this cheat myself, I would never do it. Imagine how tight one would have to paint within the lines! No way!

But who knows, the general public might not know the difference between what is paint and what is photo-ground, and just say this artist is so good to be painting just like a photograph; a high compliment!

I have a related experience though: For the judge I recently painted, a color photo was needed for the printed unveiling program. My portrait was not yet up to snuff to show, so I merged the painting with the reference photo in Photoshop, and submitted that digitally. That's a big no no! Well suffice to say, everyone at the courthouse was ecstatic at how photo-real the painting looked in it's progress, and I was beet-red with embarassment. I did not tell them of the nature of the merged images, and the printed reproduction was terrible in the end, which was probably just as well! Don't try this at home! :D (Hey, what happpened to the old smilies? I liked them!)

A secret of the day.

Garth

Spot on! That's all I have to say, Ms. Saper!
:D[/QUOTE]
Hi Carol,

I concur with you both. Essential!

Garth

Winnner
 

Hi Gary,

Thanks for your compliment, I feel like a bigger winner with that extra N!

Appreciatively,

Garth :sunnysmil

Another winner! I particularly like the subtle cool light from the right.

Speaking of grids, in the movie "Girl with a Pearl Earring" you can see a frame-and-thread grid device hanging on the wall in Vermeer's studio.

Another gorgeous painting, Garth! What can I say about this work that I haven't said about your others? Her caring personality shines through--wonderful painting!

take care,

Renee

Lovely!
 

Garth,

This is one of the most lovely renditions I've ever seen that tributes an equally lovely personality. This woman's portrait just radiates with what I call a truly "servant hearted" demeanor. I, like someone earlier said, would wish that I could know a doctor such as this.

Oh, and your painterly strokes are the same as always...........AWESOME! :D :thumbsup: :exclamati

Your friend,
Geary