They're beautiful works of art, Kip. I love the intricacy and detail, your use of color and light, and I also really like the angle of the composition in both of these. She's at rest, but because of the sightline, if that's what it's called, there's almost a breathless quality to the second one, as if she's quiet now, but it's the stillness of a cat, and any minute she'll take flight, as they do; and there's a kind of... incipient motion to the first, as if she's thinking about it, and any second now...
I also really like your triptych-trinity above. You've captured a beauty that's almost anime in that series, breathtaking in a living person.
I am now about to embarrass you terribly, and I'm sorry, but looking at these artworks and also having read another thread you created, I can't help thinking about Amedeo Modigliani and Jeanne Hébuterne.
In terms of the intensity of the art, and the power of the Muse. (In other words, yeah no, let the resemblance end there.)
My wish for you is to keep all that intensity and power, but also that upward trajectory, find your wings, take off like... well, like the artist as a young F-15, I suppose. This is an F-14, but it says what I mean.
And that's it for me today, I'm up way too late. But your work is truly incredible.
PS, in re grimy, have you seen how Camille Pisarro started out, my goodness.
PSS, you could design tattoos that would knock people breathless, you know.
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"I believe you find life such a problem because you think there are the good people and the bad people," said the man. "You're wrong, of course. There are, always and only, the bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides."
-- Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!