A tell-tale sign of a painting that is done using only a photograph is putting in too much detail and having darks without any information.  Don't go too dark in the shadows.  As long as the relationships between values are accurate you are going to do well.  The benefit of painting from life is that you have more of an idea of the true value range than you can get from a photo which is generally too dark in the darks and too light in the lights.   

We should always "raise the bar" on our work. 

After Frank discussed the changes he would make on his first painting (note that he made the changes with the photograph and the painting upside down.), I thought he was finished and headed off to paint for an hour or so before lunch.  (As it was he discussed a second painting and I missed that demo.)   

I went off to paint cactus (nopales)... I had felt good about trying to capture what Frank had done the day before, so I thought I'd try it again by painting my own cactus painting.  I tried to remember what Frank had discussed as I painted my cactus, but in the end, having only an hour, I simply placed color on it to cover the canvas.   Surprisingly it turned out rather well, I think.

In the afternoon we all stayed relatively close although we all faced different directions and we painted alongside one another.   The painting on top was my final painting and I was rather happy with it.  I felt I had tried my best to apply the ideas and suggestions that Frank had been making during the week-long workshop.

I'm sad to say the class over.   Suzanne and I went out to celebrate a FANTASTIC WEEK...  I had some GREAT margaritas.... and yes, I tossed one back for my friends from previous painting adventures.  

Happy painting to all of you.