omg, great! :), this ginger woman rocks :).
Ailill And Roksana, Linda Bergkvist (2D)
Enayla
#203
Aah, here we go :] I just wanted to say a final thing or two.
I suppose I thought, when I posted these, that the flaws in anatomy and my mistakes would point out the fact that I’m painting these. For the most part, for every painting I post, I get quite a few of corrections and suggestions from people. The head is too big, the waist too narrow, the angle or this or that being seriously messed up. Light sources faulty, the eyes are crossed (oh gosh, I do that all the time!) and all manners of other mistakes. Don’t get me wrong, I love this. It helps me to develop - internet forums are what got me to where I am today. I’ve been working on skin tones all winter because I felt that was one of my ‘weak’ points, and it had been pointed out to me on several occasions. So what am I trying to say? My work isn’t perfect. I know some things better than I know others, and I suppose that portraits are what I’m best at. But that doesn’t mean they’re anywhere near perfect.
The lips might be skewed and the hand is, as in the first picture, at an impossible angle (mainly because, ha ha, my hand bends like that - I’ve got weird joints - but also because I make very mortal mistakes). Someone better than me - and there are plenty of those out there - will see the big mistakes I do and probably smile behind their hand when they look at my work. But I’m progressing, and that’s the whole point of it.
I’ve done plenty of tutorials. I’ve done plenty of progress-shots. I had a forum where I, for a few years, helped people out - did paintovers when they asked for it, had long face-painting threads where I taught whatever I know about painting faces, and we helped each other out through the steps. I closed the forum eventually because I didn’t have enough time to offer the community what I thought I owed them if I did have a digital art forum. The last tutorial I did, I did for D’artiste, and I don’t see myself getting enough time to do another in a while.
So, I’m rambling, I know 
I just wanted to say that I do love CGtalk, but after this, pretty much like Luna, I won’t care much to post images like these here. I’ll keep them to my forums when I reopen them in another form. Not because I have a problem with critiques, but because I just don’t enjoy people fighting like this over what’s really just a couple of pictures. If it’s going to be this much of a fuss, it’s just not worth it. I’ll wait until the book has been released and I can show some of my more painterly, careful work rather than portraits (which I do put a lot of work into, and I actually LOVE doing, but I seem to get stuck in the details rather than the ideas, if that makes any sense). At the end of the day, I’d love it if we could just drop this now - if you have any questions about my techniques, feel free to contact me about it :] I’m always willing to chat.
Oh, and here are awful reference shots taken for the bloody-girl image. I warned you guys, I’m not much of a photographer, and for the most part I prefer not to show self-portraits in online forums anymore… but, yeah, just this once 
And, again, thank you everyone. For comments and crits and discussions - someone said I should’ve been more pissed off but I’m not pissed off. No worries and no hard feelings from my side :]
(Oh, and as a repeat - this one time, I won’t respond to every individual comment. I’ll get right back to my old way of doing that on my next art post, this thread became a cluttered discussion where an attempt like that will just make me more confused than I already am.)
<3
BaronImpossible
#206
Excellent work, your attention to detail is exemplary. I won’t pretend I’m inspired by the subject matter (don’t take that the wrong way! 
) but the overall result is certainly impressive. And I know how you’re feeling ATM - I’ve managed 10hrs sleep in the past 6 days and I’ve barely got the energy to type this.
Tace
#207
Well, I hope you get better soon. Insomnia can be a b**ch. I’ve suffered from it myself on and off for years. I have found that treating it like depression/anxiety and doing things like taking St. John’s Wort, cutting down the caffeine, and going to bed and getting up on a set schedule go a long way toward making it better. It’s like you have to train your body how to sleep again.
I’ll have to check out the d’ artiste book, though I have to admit I am one of those people that has to flip through a book a couple of times before I decide to buy it. Just one of those old fashion pre-pdf kind of people. 
You are quite an artist and I have seen you take comments in this thread that would have sent many other artists on a serious mad-on. Thank you for your graciousness. I look forward to seeing even more of your work.
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
Eternally_Mine
#208
I just wished to express my delight and pleasure at viewing your newest endeavor.
Nox
#211
Great images love the skin tones and the texture. When do U project the completion of the book so I can get a copy. :bounce:
kaggen
#212
You don’t mean you going to totally stop posting images here :sad:? Please continue to post your images here, pretty please, with sugar on top.
I love your work! :buttrock:
Don’t leave us alone here with a bunch of boring sceptics! Then we all have to draw stick figures to be accepted in the community :).
Mats
artchique
#214
Linda, have one thing to say: Hold your head up. I in fact, HAVE read D’artiste and can attest from what i see that you and every other artist in there are just steeped in fabulousness, and shouldn’t care one whit what these people think when they say you are “cheating”. Shame on them for their callousness and pity them for their lack of awe that concludes that such beautiful work couldn’t be real. Keep being an inspiration.
my best to you.
rae
rswanson
#215
Linda,
Let them fight. Like you said, it doesn’t have a negative impact on you. Nor does it negatively impact a lot of other CGtalk visitors. We just like to look at your work, so please continue to indulge us.
You’re right when you state they are “really just a couple of pictures” but it is very important for some of us to see them, for many reasons. It would be a crying shame to see you stop posting works like these because of a few opinions. Don’t stop.
noelt
#216
Hey Linda, i was one of the people who are…let’s just say, unfarmiliar your technique, i still stand by what i was saying but i would like to compliment you on your eye for depth and your ability to compose a pleasing (flawless)image from various different body parts. My crit was more of the fans than the artist. I understand commercial art, Lyndecker didn’t like Rockwell (as much) after he found out about his technique, Rockwell had bills to pay, this is the reality of commercial art, so you get the image made as quick as possible, I think Lunatique is correct on his accessment of digital art, the ability to clone pictures makes the persuit of extreme digital realistic painting pointless…hoooooraaaay :). There is a new post called “frodo and the dark rider” or something, to me this is good work (not mindblowing but good) but i can tell that it is not registering on the digital radar, i think this is a bad thing and i think the digital cloning feature will eventually fix this…in time, by refocusing priorities.
I only hope to reach your level of professionalism Linda, no disrespect ment, this is top notch commercial art.
iqtazhlah
#218
not to waste words, and depreciate the beauty of your work, let me keep it short’n clean.
you are a master. you realy are.
reagrds
AmazeMe
#219
Your portraits are awsome the one of Ailill is by far my favorite. Love the eyes and hair color, with such detail, can’t wait to see the rest of your work. Book you say? This will be worth waiting for. 
:arteest:
P.S.
Hope your feeling better.