The Portrait Project - update

I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who sent in photos! I'm having a blast going through them all and I can't wait to get started. I'm still looking for more so don't hesitate to send anything you come across that has a good light dark pattern. I know true portrait painters can make a painting from even a bad photo. But the guidelines I set up for this challenge does not allow for the time it will take to do that. And these are not commissions, so I prefer to select images that I think will work.

I also wanted to mention again that this is a learning experience for me. I'm really trying to get better at getting a likeness. There are many times I don't really get that likeness as much as I try. And as I open all these wonderful photos I wonder how close I can come to a likeness in many of these. But I'm going to try. And hope that I get better at it as I go. Thank you for contributing to my process!! 

I'm going to collect photos for another week, then I will start posting. My goal is to post 4 to 5 a week through the month of March. I will let you know when I want you to stop sending in more photos.

Here are the details again, and you can read the original post here.

Would you be willing to send me a photo of yourself, your husband, wife, friend, child or pet that I could paint from?

• Please email your digital photos to me, cathy(at)activecore(dot)org
• By sending me photo(s) you grant me permission to paint from these images and also to post your  photo along with the photo of the painting, on my blog and website.
• This photo should have been taken by you. No professional photography please.
• Photos taken outside in strong light are important. A photo that has good sun and shade on a face has a better chance of being chosen. The same goes for a pet.
• Photos taken with a flash are usually not as good, but could sometimes work.
• Unusual perspective and/or angles are really good. Smiling directly at the camera isn’t always the most interesting shot.
•  I reserve the right to crop these photos in creative ways for artistic effect.
• I need fairly high-resolution images so that I can crop and create a more intimate moment.
• Don't be surprised if I use unusual colors in skin tones or hair. I LOVE color!
•  All paintings will be done in oil on a 6x6 panel. I will sell them all for $75 on my Daily Paintworks gallery.