Great-Grandpa's Trombone

[Janel Maples]

What treasures, the handsome little guy, the instrument and now the painting. This is great!

[Lisa Ober]

Terri, I keep looking at this painting trying to figure out how you get (or don't get) your edges. They are so natural and soft. Any tips or hints?

Also, there is a subdued tone to your recent work which I love. Doesn't it also help to have such a cute model as well? Attractive people make great paintings really sing. Now that I think about it, unattractive people who are interesting looking do the same thing. You obviously have the former here.

Finally, you handled the trombone's detail work perfectly.

[Cynthia Daniel]

This is wonderful, Terri!

[Mike McCarty]

Very beautiful Terri. Having once tried my hand at a brass instrument I can really appreciate the time and effort that went into this. Very successful I think.

[Ngaire Winwood]

Well Done Terri! Its beautiful.

[Terri Ficenec]

Kim, Janel, Lisa, Cynthia, Mike, thanks so much! How nice to wake up to. . .

Lisa, about edges...? don't know that I've got any great secrets --guess I use a variety of strategies for them --including smudging with a finger (do that a lot!). I save my old brushes and use them for blending, and a thin layer of translucent color spanning a transition also helps to unify things. Probably it helps too that pretty much all of my favorite colors are transparent, with the exception of raw sienna (semi-transparent) and white(opaque).

Thanks again!

[Terri Ficenec]

Ngaire, thank you! (we must have been posting at the same time. . . )

[Garth Herrick]

Dear Terri,

You've blown us all away with your mastery once again (no pun intended). This is delightful; your subject has a magical expression that you've caught. I can't imagine your clients being anything but thrilled with your success. the intergeneational aspect of your portrait is touching, and the engraving is beautifully rendered on the trombone.

Garth

[Patricia Joyce]

Terri,
I am positively blown away by this painting. Each one is more and more wonderful. But this one is MAGIC!!! The boy's expression is precious and the trombone is BEAUTIFUL! I know you were concerned about painting it and it turned out so beautifully. My son is a professional trombonist and I am going to send it to him. He will really appreciate the image!!

You are going places, GIRL and I can say I knew you when!!

Pat

ps what people who don't play the trombone wouldn't notice is that you have even captured the slight swelling of the upper lip which most trombonist, even young ones have after they have been playing. Is it my imagination or did you notice this about his mouth when you were studying him.

[Lisa Ober]

Terri, thank you for answering that question. I really enjoy hearing the various techniques people use and I particularly like yours. I appreciate you sharing the information. Again, beautiful painting.