Pastel for critique

[Jimmie Arroyo]

VERY nice. I love the effects of the sharp edges to soft, then hard again with the hand, great depth.

Altho I really like it, especially how informal it is, I would think you might have a problem with it being a corporate portrait. If you have others that are buttoned up, ties and all, then this would work perfect as a more casual option.

Great job either way. Hope to see more postings.

[Michele Rushworth]

to entice commissions from corporate entities.

I didn't notice this part of what you wrote until Jimmie pointed it out. He's absolutely right, this doesn't look like a corporate portrait.

In that universe there are very firm conventions, almost rules, that every truly corporate portrait follows. Look at the work on the main SOG site and you will see that all the subjects are wearing a dark suit and tie, for example, and almost all are looking at the viewer.

In art, of course, we can break the rules, but in the business of corporate portraiture it's better for an artist to first show that they can conform to them before they break out of the mold to forge their own way.