Been away from Easel due to grandkids and skiing and work but finally finished this Elder. mike_in_alanta. Did him in watercolor and acrylic for change. Also.....
Up next is our community leader Mark Then elvan and Patty-cake 
Also have plans to re-do Sudie. Was not happy with the final on her.
For some reason my @ is not working for Patty or Mark ?????Hummmm????
Heres progression of Mike :
Finished >>>>>>
Thanks for taking the time to look it up. I didn't even spell it correctly, duh, but yes I love my Mahl stick and could not do fine detail without it. The smaller one I have has a bulb at the end covered in soft material.. This larger on has a triangular wood piece at the top so I like it better. I can hang it ontop of canvas I am working on...so yep, I guess it cold be considered a Mahl stick I knew the smaller one was a Mahl stick but was not sure my bigger one was, as I have used it for years. The great old Masters like Vermeer ( one of my favs) used them
Vermeer used them huh! Now there's a guy who could paint portraits.... They sure knew how to capture light, didn't they!
He was freakin' awesome in my book. This painting he did below, still remains my favorite, 'The girl with the pearl earring' I actually plan on trying to paint this one of his in the future, sorta like a study
OH.....and he also was a fan of black backgrounds to expose his Model even more with light! Genius!
Here's my maul stick (I don't think it will help me paint however!) lol
Ah, yes, black background to expose the model to more light as a contrast. Thank you for that bit of knowledge! Just added it into my brain program.
Talk about light and dark - this is a small print I have on my office wall, but I saw it in the flesh in the National Gallery of Art in DC (and bought the print there because it blew me away). Called the Repentant Magdelan by Georges de La Tour. You ever seen it? It's exquisite. The light from the candle and the expression on her face....
