Thanks everyone for the kind words.
It's truly a labor of love for me. It's one of the few things in my life that I can't wait to do again.
This kind of work requires intense concentration and care in execution. When as few as 3 misplaced dots can change the expression of a face, you can't afford to daydream. I can go for a max of 3 hours at a time before I have to take a little break and give my hand, my eyes and my brain a rest. Having said that, sometimes I become a little impatient and that's when errors happen. So when I feel myself getting antsy, or trying to hurry, I get up and leave the studio.
Marc, you asked...I have about 26 hours in this image and another 4 hours in the borderwork. I started on the inside curve and I have 2.5 hours in it already and I just got started. I anticipate another 10 hours to complete the inside curve. I'll let you know how that goes...