Here is my group portrait. I really enjoyed getting into the likeness of the subjects - a mash up between two photos. Thanks for critiquing and looking at all these submissions, Jeff! "Family Dynamics" - graphite on paper.

Halloween in July. I plan to go trick or treating with the kids this year... for the first time! We live in Australia. It's taken a while but we're catching on to this trick or treating business :P I had covid... still have... so I wasn't able to take any group photos for reference. I had to blend what I already had of the kids with some stock photos from pexels and what I've been learning from Aaron Blaise tutorials.

The Tempest. I enjoyed playing with light with these complimentary colours. I don’t usually go so abstract but I was trying not to think and just paint 🙂

Chose to do a local scene for this challenge, and tried to push the character while staying faithful to the lighting. This is in Tayport Scotland

Here is my storyboard illustration. Quickly done just before I became a mother of three =D It was good practice!

Hello, I am so glad to participate in this month's challenge after some month's hiatus! I really enjoyed thinking and plotting it out. I used watercolour and ink - quinacridone gold, ultramarine blue and burnt sienna. My cover illustrates a french book called 'La Tresse' (The Braid) by Laetitia Columbani. It is about three women connected across the globe by the self confidence each gains through a braid of hair.

Hello! It seems like a lot of work to review everybody's porfolio - you all are amazing, thanks for doing this. I am Laurel, aspiring to illustrate children's literature, or similar opportunities, admist being a busy mom. Consequently, I do not have much of a portfolio but attached here is my first book that is near finished and a few other pieces to compliment. I used to work with oil but for a lack of time and space, have switched to rely on ink and watercolour. I would appreciate any advice and critique you may have. Again, thank you so much for taking the time. Cheers!

Good evening Stan and Bryan! Bryan, when working on a painting, how do you personally know when you are overworking it or you just need to push through a tough spot? Are there signals to you, that you should just stop painting it and move on? Thanks!

Well, you both are doing a great job! even with the pressure =) Thanks for sharing,

Do you feel a ton of pressure drawing while on camera or are you just used to it now?

do you ever revert to charcoal after going back to graphite?

Yes, thanks! i was wondering how you did it specifically, but it does depend. =)

Hey S&S! Laurel from France (again), if you find you get too dark on a portion, do you erase all of that portion or just work with it? Do you find that you get really dark with the charcoal powder really fast or do you have to apply a lot to get dark darks? Thanks for the livestream!

Hi Stan and Shawn, Laurel from France. I just want to thank you for the livestream Q&A with Marshall. There was no comment box for me to say it then. I really appreciated it and the healthy/exercise answer especially. As a mom, finding chunks of time is difficult and it is easy to decide not to sleep and not exercise, but it really is important. So, thanks for the encouragement!

Hi thanks for this! I have a little question about brushes: You had mentioned you don't use turpentine whatsoever - is that environmental? Moreso, i can't believe your brushes are really clean with only dishwashing liquid!! do you spend a long time cleaning? is it due to the quality of your brush?