Well, it's getting there. At least proportions feel about right... but not the colours. Is it wrong to show work in stages? Is that a bit like getting ready for a party in front of your partner? No surprise?

Well, after this dries I'll start globbing (as no doubt the technical term is in latin) another layer on top and get it humming. And I doubt she'll have a blue nose when it's all done, but hey you never know.

Started. Went wildly odd, with the pose too stiff and the colours too blugh and dull... and so I rubbed it all down and started again.

Ok, so it's not a laughing face, but rather a portrait of a friend's kid. Is it just me, or is it harder when you haven't actually met the kid.

Still a work in progress. Sort of wish I'd worked out a full strong undercoat but hey, it's oils. There's time.

Close up of Paula laughing. See below.

Still in progress... not much more to go.

Work in progress. Big canvas. Gonna need a bigger brush!

Third woman laughing.

And so I took a train up to town to go to the National Portrait Gallery. Inspiring.

The next batch of oils are going to be even looser still. Anyhow, here's a doodle from the train... as usual.

So sorry that I haven't been posting. There are about 5 paintings all in flux at various stages of incomplete. The thing with oils is it takes ages to dry and so there's always a few in various stages. I'm a bit behind. I've got a commission that I'm trying to wrap my head around and a show of people laughing... oh yeah... there's the day job, which you know, consumes a vast amount of time both scheduled and (ahem) spare time... But with a week's break in the near future... who knows.

Please send me pics of you laughing... and I'll see what I can do.

This one is now sold.

This one is sold.