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I lived in France for a while , and visited Giverny a few times. What a place, it really is like going to a holy place, as you can feel the painters of past sizing up the landscape around for their next painting. It really is an exceptional place.
I think another reason I like the impressionists is that they, in my mind, are some of the first movements to actively use photo references for their works. Knowing that, it seems they took what they learned from experimentation in "live" work to be more exploratory in their studio when using just a black and white photo.
A comment I'd like to make by the way is Alex is supremely proud to have his bike in his portrait. I say this as food for thought for those who might overlook or be timid about suggesting a composition as mundane as a kid with his bike. Kids have a different world than we do, and I luckily (and unknowingly) happened to portray him with one of his pride possessions...
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