Pastel on Sandpaper with an underpainting of wet pigment. 36"x28" Ala Prima, done in 95 minutes with an audience and while making comments.My favorite portrait to date. Everything worked. Jack was a perfect model. Have you, when doing a portrait, had the sense of interference on a vibe level, coming from the model. I believe some models are compelled to attempt to control the process, although I don't think it's a conscious impulse. Sometimes I feel it so strongly that I can hardly see the model. Jack was the exception that proved this is true. I was relaxed and free while I painted him. I learned to identify this interference and, I hope, to be able to deal with it with more awareness when next I encounter it.
