Speedpainting from reference, about 2.5 hours. This one was difficult because I didn’t have any easy shadows to fall back on and pretty much had to render based on some pretty subtle soft lighting.

Reference photo by Gilliann (model) and Bansheechild (photographer) on deviantART.

Went back and did some revisions/clean-up on this piece from the week before last. Mostly it’s just cleaner rendering (the previous version was pretty sketchy), but also a couple of changes to some shadows and forms.

Not sure if this qualifies as a “speedpainting” anymore though, as the changes took me another 3 hours — an hour longer than it took me to do the entire previous version! Ahh, so it goes.

As before, painted from this reference photo is by Aimee Fitzgerald.

Most years the first time I write down the new year is on a check. So very pleased that the first time this year is signing it on a painting. What an awesome way to ring in the new year! Let’s keep it up! I hope all of you out there accomplish all the things this year that you set out to do. Here’s to an awesome 2012!

Photoshop speedpainting from reference, about 2 hours. Reference photo by Marcus Ranum.

My wife’s reaction when I showed her this one: “YAAY ELVES~~!”

Photoshop speedpainting, no reference, about 1 hour.

Photoshop painting from reference, about 4 hours. Started out as more portrait practice but then I keep getting carried away! The pose obviously is after Vermeer, though the colors and painting style are not. Rather, I’m just trying to paint with more colors, instead of the pure monochromatic approach of my other recent studies.

From this reference photo by Aimee Fitzgerald (though I don’t think I quite nailed the intensity of her stare).