Portrait. by Denise Cat

A cracking portrait Denise all your hard work is coming together well done.

Really well drawn Denise.

Well worth the effort Denise. A really good lively portrait with lovely tones.

You’ve got some character coming out here Denise, well done.

Just added a heart, Denise. Well deserved.

Great work with charcoal Denise.

A superb portrait Denise , a testament to your determination and skills .

Looks very good!!

Great portrait again Denise.

Very much appreciated Chris, Peter, Tessa, Marjorie, Jiri, Sarah, Paul, David and George.

Excellent artwork Denise.

A strong, characterful, portrait Denise. Great work.

I can see this would be difficult to do but you've done a great job Denise, terrific portrait.

I can see why this was so tricky to do but the results are fabulous Denise

This is terrific Denise, your portrait work is coming on in leaps and bounds 👏

Full of life and character

A super portrait Denise. Well done for persevering and I should think they were really pleased with it.

Denise, an excellent portrait. Even though you worked from a photo you have captured the essence of your sitter engaging with you….or visa versa

Thanks very much for your comments Stephen, Carole, Russell, Heather, Frank, Martin, Christine and Fiona.

Excellent Denise.

A really good portrait !

Getting a likeness is not at all easy - you've got someone who looks like a human being, whether it looks like the lady in question I cannot of course know. It's a striking portrait though, and working from photographs is intensely difficult - you'd think all the information would be there, but it just isn't: give me a live model, or give me death... How Jiri Keller, who often posts his portrait drawings here, so often scores a hit from what must be photographs, I don't know. Even he, he won't mind me saying (I hope!) gets them a little "something wrong about the mouth" now and then.

Thanks Diane, Valerie and Robert. You are so right Robert, working from a photograph is very difficult. Now I'm getting experience working from life at the sketching club, I prefer it, it's wonderful.

Re photos and life…..I feel there is more of a sense of freedom working from life, you are not constricted by every detail which the photo gives and, while the end result from life may not be 100% accurate, you can capture the “ essence “ of the person. That’s why, I think, many paintings from photos can look “flat” ( not all), it depends upon the artist recognising this and adding his/her own “take”.

Fine work. An interesting, sculptural face with tricky lighting.

Brilliant portrait Denise.