My photo roll tells me I started this bust on Boxing Day 2022, and I finished it at the end of March 2023. So, one piece in 3 months seems totally reasonable right?

The model (I believe it’s the pirate Mary Read) was a freebie for backing the KS for wave 2 of the Scalecolour artists acrylics and I have really enjoyed using those paints; they’re thick and creamy and thin down beautifully. I spent so long on this that my next paints KS arrived; this time the Rusto signature set from Kimera Kolors which I honestly can’t recommend enough — a crazy versatile set of tones.

This was the second bust I’ve painted and I’ve found that I really enjoy sinking hours into the larger canvas it gives me, and now there are several more sitting on my desk, so that should be good for the next few years at least. The inspiration for the colour palette was the great Isabella from Dragon Age 2. She likes big boats, and she cannot lie.