Faces - Puzzels of Our Past

Finished this today. It was done for an Self Portrait Challenge for 2008 on the Acrylics forum at WetCanvas. Today was the first day we could post them.
It ended up very different than I originally thought what I might do, and somehow I ended up with two figures. One of me from about 25 years ago and one of me now.
Very gut wrenching for most artists to paint themselves, and most don't do it very often.
I had wanted to try this technique, and thought the portraits suited it. This is done with Golden Fluid Acrylics on gallery wrapped canvas.
Not sure if I'm totally finished yet, will hang it and think on it for a few days. I have to do that will all my paintings. Then I'll varnish it and it will be done. I've already got a couple more in mind for a series I think.
What are you thoughts on this painting!!!

''LILY'' CloseUp

This is a "Work In Progress" - WIP - that I started in July of this beautiful Lily. I was not far from finished, and somehow got sidetracked onto some other things, and there on my work table it has sat, leaning against the wall ever since.

One of my goals this year is to get caught up on unfinished works, and to not leave new paintings unfinished...........so thought I would post this here, to gently prod me to meet my goals, and show you what I'm working on.

I must tell you, I've never been a big fan of yellow flowers, I never buy them, I don't grow them, and never thought I would paint them!!! However, this one appealed to me, in it's very soft, lovely coloring, and it is a Tiger Lily, and a beauty. Also yellow flowers are hard to paint.

When mixing colors with yellow they can turn to "Mud" very quickly...........so I liked the challange!!! Hey.......I'm an emotional painter (so I've learned) I have to have some kind of emotional attachment to something before I'll try paint it, be it an animal, a flower, or a view of a valley, somethings got to grab me, and hold my interest, or I'll go on to better things, and that happens very quickly for me!! So big surprise!!!!! I like this yellow flower, and now I'm going to finish painting it. ( We're a weird bunch.........Us Artists) LOL :)

So onto the flower. It's a yellow Tiger Lily, doing it with Acrylics on 16x20 gallery wrapped Canvas.

I've not done a contrasting underlayer, that I often do with flowers, basically because of the color.....I don't want mud. This has about 5 or 6 layers on it in different areas already.

Now I'm starting to build up the contrasts and shadows, with many different colors of yellow, and mixtures.

Also, please disregard that horizontal line near the middle of the picture. I had to use my scanner and sew 4 photos together to get the photo, and the scanner did not like the yellow, and I had a hard time getting a decent photo........No Camera. :)

This is going to look great when it's finished. Luv that light soft lemon color!!!

Nude Body Shapes Lines Contrasts Pt3

Adding some more Body Lines to a series I started way back in Apr and May 07.
Just felt like working with some Vine Charcoal. Working with different Ideas.
Think these would look good together say six or so in a line or a square.
Each is 11x8 on black pastel paper