A Good Friend by Julia Benning

Fabulous face; wonderful skin tones and really vibrant. the mouth in particular is so well done and the creases round the eyes and te broken veins on the cheeks. I really like this very much.

Thank you Diana. I'm glad you like it as I really enjoyed painting it and was quite surprised with the result!

Quite brilliant portrait. If I had done this I would be well pleased! Agree with everything Diana says about it.

Now I know who you are I'll say welcome to the gallery ( a little bird told me you had been persuaded to join). I keep coming back to look at this again and again. There's something really special about it that I can't put my finger on. He looks almost three dimensional.

I entirely agree with those comments, Diane. I am the little persuader, and oh boy Julia took some persuading to join at first! And then she beat me to it! And she has a lovely sensitive touch to her work.

Julia, I have just been having a browse around your gallery and I must say all your work is just lovely you are a very skillful artist.. This portrait is excellent. The texture of the skin is smashing you have captured your friend's warmth in this portrait.

Thank you so much Jeannette for your encouraging comments, they are much appreciated. I was particularly pleased with this portrait, so much so that I have not attempted another since as I cannot image it will be so successful. However, my project for half term is a double portrait of human with animal! So here goes, time to try again!

I think this portrait is wonderful, so detailed and warm and friendly looking! Excellent control of paint, I am struggling with watercolour and think you are very skilled.

Hi Julia. Thanks so much for commenting on my painting. I've just had a look through your gallery and I'm very impressed. This portrait particularly caught my attention. You're very skillful,

your animal portraits are really good but your friends portrait is an absolute knockout,well done

I have just discovered your Gallery - your animal studies are breathtaking and the gentleman's portrait is beautiful. As for pusscat, what a knowing look - 'no one is going to mess with me!' I love 'pig' too.