As my burns on the fingers are healing fast - won't be long before I can go photographing again.  So for now, the archives are having a revamp. This hibiscus was at Trinity Beach (daughter's garden)  It was blowing as usual, so lucky to have captured this at all.  Due to being totally bored it had a bit of a revamp with texture work on the background only.

The bee below was captured at Crystal Cascades.  Unfortunately had to crop this one quite severely, but shooting RAW is pretty unforgiving with the Canon 5D MKII.  Those extra pixels really are a gem.

Surrealism painting in progress.....In Oils.

 

Will I or won't I finish this painting this week?
Was painting with my friend Lenore Howard in her class. She is an amazing talented Australian artist and teacher.

My surrealism interpretation of the original Portrait of Battista Sforza c.1465 - Painted by Piero Della Francesca

Piero's pair of paintings of the ruler of Urbino and his wife are among the most distinctive portraits of the Renaissance. Portrayal in pure profile was common in Italy at this time, but the expansive landscape behind the sitters was unprecedented.
The town visible behind Battista is Borgo san Sepolcro, acting as a king of signature for Piero.

The male Portrait is of Federigo da Montefeltro c.1465 Federigo, the Count (later Duke) of Urbino, was one of the most distinguished men of his time - as much a scholar as a soldier.

The choice of a profile view for his portrait was dictated by the horrible injury he sustained in a tournament, when he lost his right eye, his disfigured nose was a result of the same accident.
Here is a link to the two original portraits in question: vrcoll.fa.pitt.edu/uag/Art-Anytime-Page/Lochoff-pages/pag...

And now look what I am doing to his wife !! Still lots to do to it, but it is growing on me and I having so much fun with painting in oils.  The crazy notion has been suggested to me that I ought to paint the husband as well, but have a dog's face.  LOL.  I could call them the odd couple then, couldn't I?