Done......

This recent portrait commission has been getting some lovely comments from visitors to the house and from viewers on Facebook. I've had the thumbs up from my customer and it will be winging it's way to it's new home next week. I'm already wondering who to do next, shall I go for someone popular? someone I particularly like? family member? I dunno just yet. I've emailed the finished piece to my virtual portrait tutor, Valerie Stewart. Her comments were 'AWESOME - CONGRATS'. Her style of portraiture is really incredible and I've enjoyed painting along with her in a virtual fashion by following her DVD's. You will find all the info you need on her basic portrait demo DVD at just £16 delivered to your door (CLICK HERE for details) For a wider range of tuition, her 6 DVD set is available at just £145. This covers all skin types, all ages, a wide range of features and lots lots more. Alternatively - you can paint along with the master herself when she flys to the UK for a 4 day portrait seminar. If you'd like to see my finished portrait just CLICK HERE This painting is only my 7th ever oil portrait project and it's my 2nd commission. I had no need to refer to the DVD's for this painting - Valerie's style is easy to follow and very, very easy to remember too. I am using her portrait brushes - (you only need 5) - and her portrait paints all of which are available direct from the UK.

New Year - New Products

Lets kick of the New Year with some new products. I'm introducing a couple of soft haired brushes. The first is the round brush (pictured at the bottom). It's a bit more substantial than the liner brush and I've been using it in classes for a little while now. Ideal in landscape painting for those bulkier limbs and branches on your trees, great tool also for foreground fences. As it's soft, it can be used in both floral and wildlife projects too. It's fast becoming quite a little work horse of mine and now joins my other landscape brushes in my own pot of tools. The second item is the half inch flat angled brush (pictured at the top). This is just the most perfect brush for making leaves, it holds the paint well, you'll get the tightest of chiselled edges. This too is brilliant for wildlife projects too. Both brushes are synthetic bristles, both brushes are £4.50 each (including postage and packing) and both brushes have been tried and tested by myself. You can find the shopping baskets for these items on this link: http://www.ayoubart.co.uk/21.html