Jersey cow with calf by Ruth Dolan

Really beautiful Ruth. Great pastel work

Thank you, Carole.

Hello Ruth, this is a really really lovely painting! You have captured the expression of the mother and calf so well, and I love the background - vibrant yet a lovely subtle color that doesn't detract from the main subject matter. It's really super!

I like the feeling and the use of colour too.

What a beautiful little calf! And very well drawn!

Lovely painting and what a lovely idea to do it for charity. I love the calf's expression and my only suggestion on it at all would be to possibly soften the mum's eyelashes if you can. I love your impressionist style background.

Such a gentle scene, beautifully portrayed Ruth. I do agree with Diana about the eyelashes on mum but apart from that it's lovely.

Thank you, Seok Yam Chew, Colleen, Hazel, Diana and Julia. I am grateful for your comments. The eyelashes were difficult, and I will try to find a way to soften them....Difficult again because cows lashes are naturally bristly, so I am a bit perplexed....Any advice would be most welcome.

A lovely picture Ruth. I hope it raises a lot of money for your charity.

I love your impressionistic style of work from photograph Ruth. Very well done to be sure :)

Hi Ruth, what about making the eyelashes a bit longer, using a pastel pencil so that the lashes are finer and maybe more tonal variation within the lashes?

Thank you for all your comments, this is a painting I really enjoyed seeing develop. Hazel, I will try to lengthen the lashes, and follow your suggestions. Thanks.

Love the adventurous colours in this painting, Ruth. It is a lovely gentle and sweet scene and you have made a very good job of painting it.

This is such a lovely composition Ruth and you have captured it perfectly.

Ruth, the best way to soften the eyelashes would probably be to extend them somewhat, beyond the lower lid of the eye, letting them fade out. But it's a touching painting as it is; these are such lovely animals.... & so few of us appreciate them. Maybe you have to have been born in the countryside to do so....... They've got character, AND they're not just stupid beasts: you've caught their delicacy, and the bond between mother and calf (which, I fear, we sunder all too abruptly).

Thank you all so very much for your comments...I can feel your empathy,for these lovely animals, and it is so much appreciated.