This is my first real Oil Portrait ... I started one of my children, but I've never completed it. I found that they had changed too much in between the time I had left in between working on it and other projects. Lasha is a longtime online friend of mine that I've known for several years now. A few weeks back we were chatting online and she had her cam on and the lighting was awsome and she just looked great ... and I was like LASHA !!! You need to take me a few photos of you with your hair down like that .... so what does she do ? She says gimme a few minutes ... and takes 'em for me right then and there. The following week I happen to see her online again and that evening told myself tonight's the night ... and I painted her. To my suprise and astonishment it only took me around 3 hours ... albeit it's only an 8x10 canvas .... I was still kinda shocked. I know it's not photo realistic but I think it captures her essence which truthfully is what any good painting is an attempt at.