[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

I think, as Byatt says and also Marvin, that the painting is the image plus my sensitivity, my aestethic sense, my favourite colours, size, scale.
And the more the reference photo is used, the more in the eyes of the client the painting will have to compete and be compared to that photo (I try never to show it), that's why it is clever adding some live sittings even if you then go back and repaint everything from the photo...

There must be a reason for a client to choose you instead of someone else. If they were charmed by some painting in your portfolio they want a little of that special charm to hang on their wall. The hand of the painter is unmistakably recognizeable, much more than the finger on the shutter button unless you are Avedon.
I once got away with saying that comparing a painting and a photo it 's like comparing live music to a record.

ilaria