Jordan Family

[Carl Toboika]

Wonderful handling of a difficult and large undertaking. You have a right to be very pleased with yourself.

[Linda Nelson]

Carl - I assume that others have this wierd relationship with their paintings - there's things you see in them that make you smile and silultaneously you see things that make you wince with pain. Every painting is that way. I assume this means I'm human, still learning, yet earning my "paycheck", and helping people feeling special.

Sharon - Thanks very much, and I hope to see you in Boston next month!

[Garth Herrick]

Linda, I like the sunnyness of the portrait. The group pose feels so natural and spontaneous, which gives the convincing impression that everyone was indeed posed this way in a single reference. Is this true or did you need to edit the group?

I did a similar portrait once in this scale and format, but I had to invent a stump and move an arm to display a big emerald, on later request.

Congratulations,

Garth

[Carl Toboika]

Originally Posted by Linda Nelson

Carl - I assume that others have this weird relationship with their paintings - there's things you see in them that make you smile and simultaneously you see things that make you wince with pain. Every painting is that way. I assume this means I'm human, still learning, yet earning my "paycheck", and helping people feeling special.

Linda,
I don't know about others, but I have the very same relationship with my work. Likely many others here do as well. When you are pushing to improve, that critical eye can't help but sneak in there along with the enjoyment even after it's all done. I take it as a sign of continuing growth that I constantly see things that can be or need to be improved.

I've been over my own work millimeter by millimeter in the creation of it, and so I'm likely see it differently than anyone else because of that, at least for awhile I do. That's why I like to turn them to the wall for a week or more, near the end, then look again. That's if there is time.

A side note for those here who have not painted large scale work before, and then undertake it. When in progress of large scale work, snapping a digital picture to look at can help highlight things hidden to you by the newer scale. It's useful to do that while the work is in progress. Actually it helps with regular sized work as well, though to a lesser degree.

It would be nice to see this installed. I think you handled the overhead viewpoint very creatively.