Linda's artwork

[Linda and "Toby"]

I'll post new pieces here as I paint them. I hope others will do the same and start their own threads in the Art Cafe! :)
 

[Linda and "Toby"]

Thank you, thank you, thank you Diane Margetts for commissioning me to paint a portrait of your friends. I'm SOOO HAPPY (and relieved) to know they were pleased with it!!!! (Love how it looks in that beautiful mat and frame!!!) 

Here's how the portrait turned out:

And here's the reference photo that Diane sent me:

****

I've been thinking about creating some "backgrounds" like the one I made for this portrait, and putting them on my website where people can download them for free and use them. I could do them in a bunch of different colors and styles. Some with thick impasto brush strokes and others with soft watercolors...I wonder if there would be much interest in this? 

[Diane Margetts]

Thank you Linda for the fabulous job you did on the portrait!!!! I was so proud to be able to present suc a beautiful piece of artwork to Jerry and Terrie. They were so thrilled and are so excited to hang the portrait in their home and invite all of their friends and family over to admire it!!!
BTW, I would be interested in backgrounds . . .

[Linda and "Toby"]

Thank you, Diane! (hug) I am so grateful to have met you here, on DK. You have been my angel. :)

And good to know - regarding the backgrounds. They are easy for me to do, and I have a lot of fun painting them!

[Lynda Kamrath]

It is absolutely fantatstic!  You definitely have it down.  I am still out there trying, but I don't really like my work.  Backgrounds?  I would love it.  And the finish on their faces is beautiful.  I'm sure they were more than impressed.  I am signed up for another class at the junior college and completed Digital Illustration this last semester.  I have basically taken all the classes, so signed up for something, but will be doing Independent Study at the computer lab.

Can I send you a couple of the old pictures I have been working on with painted backgrounds?  I would like to have them as paintings but don't like what I have done with them.

[Linda and "Toby"]

Thank you Lynda! 

Are you asking me to look at the old pictures that you've been working on and give you feedback... or actually paint them for you?

[Lynda Kamrath]

No, I really don't want you to have to paint them, just give me some feedback if they are good shots to use.  I have done a little work with them, but I am never satisfied.  If I get something I like, I will print it up as a canvas or just on my photo printer and have my husband mount them.  Since we did his sister's photo box, I want to do that also.  I worked on a lot of her old (75 years or less) photos and we put them in a great box that my husband made.  She was delighted of course.  So, here are the two I have tried to get to look like your fantastic shot of the couple that you painted.

[Linda and "Toby"]

Both of these images would work nicely.

On the second one I would suggest doing a portrait of just the child. While the adult looks sweet in this image you would need to add some details for his neck (or turtleneck collar) and shirt so that it doesn't look like a floating head. It would be challenging to get the lighting just right on it. (Be sure to color correct them before painting - to remove some of the yellow/orange cast.)

[Lynda Kamrath]

Well, it isn't such a good photo of Kristoff and his shirt collar definitely needs some work, but I like the "floating head".  I talked my husband into doing this and he was there with Kristoff (hence the sloppy shirt).  Kristoff has never been one for taking photos and I have very few of him.  I told him that when he gets married I am going to make him an album of all his distorted facial expressions.  If you point a camera at him, he makes a face.  What a kid!!!

[Lynda Kamrath]

So where do I start?  Maybe I should have you do the painting on the photo of Charlie and then just send it to me for printing.  Do you do that sometimes?  I have done that one several times, but am never satisfied.  It is a photo I took at the Gran Prix in Monte Carlo.  Charlie made the jacket and it all has special memories for us.  I just don't get the shades that I like.  See what you can do.  I will pay with PayPal.  Just send the bill along with the painting.

[Kyoko]

It is beautiful. I love the lighting from the back, and how their skin is glowing and beautiful.

[Linda and "Toby"]

Thank you, Kyoko! 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Gorgeous Linda. You did a terrific job.