Did you use Photoshop CS2?

nope, Photoshop CS

Amazing!! Simply amazing work!

Marta, I think this is your strongest work. Love it. The lighting, colors, mood, and rendering is spot on.

Tiny tiny crits: the shadow being cast onto her shoulder by her finger is a little too harsh. Also, I'm a little distracted by the texture on the cloth in some parts... mostly towards the edge of the hood the connect with the background. I'd like to see it a little more blurred there, but it might be personal taste. And lastly, the jewel on her necklace doesn't seem connected to the chain... I'd put a little more highlighting on the chain to bring it forward a little.

Thank you so much Lauren for your kind words! This artwork is most "my style" out of everything i have done before and it's a direction I will turn to.

I think you might be right about the shadows,damn I thought I usually make them too light so I wanted to get some bigger contrast.. Guess I went overboard again.
As for the chain and textile, agreed 100% with those as well, I hink I will try to fix them, not much to do and if it makes

sorry no critic all out in here...all sold off
I have to give you +10/10 maybe next time you get some criticism
wounderful picture! love her lips and colour of lids on her eyes
cheers
madd.

p.s. the positure of her hands...a special meaning?
p.p.s. yeah this is definitely the strongest work of you!

Nothing short of incredible; You really mastered painting those hands. Great lightning effects and mood. I really like how you suggest a great level of detail without actually overdoing it, very impressive. Contrast could be a tad higher, but no big deal. +10 very well deserved.

This is awesome! I love it. My personal favorite of yours.

• T

your hands are always stunning! I love your work. perfect. and awesome texture work with that cloth. . . can't say enough good things about it, really.

• Mark

WOW Amazing!!! The Skin and all others beautiful. +9

MASTERPIECE

wooooooooooooow

excellent work Marta! The lighting and colours are gorgeous, it's one of my fav of yours
+10

wonderful painting, Marta! the mood is very fascinating. my fav of yours!

Your artwork is truly inspiring... Everything is perfect !

Love the mood, textures,color scheme, and concept. Perfection at its finest. Your work is always insipiring. Wish I could give it more points.+9

I think its perfect! Great work! Something for me to aspire to ^_^
8/8

personally i think this is so much more appealing than your previous works with a million details. it's clean, direct and more natural looking and a painting like that has to win the viewer's attention by having a quality beyond the typical 'i can draw anatomy well, i can make a million details, i have a really interesting story to go with the painting'-thing. a painting like this, in my opinion, deserves more respect than ones which i've just mentioned, because you must manage to create something so intense that it digs deep into people's minds and does something to them without having to impress with other things. you have managed to grab something which isn't your usual style and get a beautiful, intense artwork out of it. and that is admirable.
the color theme and the lighting are brilliant, and i especially love how expressive the hands are in this painting. unfortunately i think you could've done without the necklace altogether, i think the bright blue color stands out a bit too much and asks too much attention. instead i would've liked the face to be more intense and pull the viewers attention in its direction.
nevertheless, brilliant artwork
+10

Guys, thank you all so, so much for the wonderful feedback. I was rather scared to post this piece as it is very dfferent from what I usually did, yet it feels much more "my style" than anything I have previously painted.
Obscured: Thank you for the extensive comment! As to the pendant issue, you see, it was actualyl my point not to make the face take too much attention. I wanted the epndant to be the focal point of the image so I suppose I have achieved my point. Thank you very much again for your kind words!

less details maybe
but a wonderful work indeed, and i think you did great with the mood
i prefer this one over some of your others much more detailed works
great job Marta , keep it up
+10 and you earned it

Beautiful painting

Impressive to say the least! I like the dark feel, with the pennant being the only real bright object in the shot. Well done! =)

Tommyguns

So subtle an delicate work¡¡¡¡¡+10

Fantastic painting

The hands are spot on rendered
The textures and the cloth foldings are superb.

I would darken te blackness surrounding the face a bit more

+ 10

amazing !!!! lovely lips

Oh my......... this is THE most fantastic thing ive ever seen. At first i thought.... when did she get into photography? honestly. this is absolutely beautiful. I'm a huge fan of your work! I still need some practice, but i hope to soon be as proficient as you are! Boundless Kudos!!! +10

This is a beautiful one, Marta, and I agree that it really shows your style. The lips are just amazing! And those little markings below the eyes... I love that. <3

That detail image just blew me away *faints* You're a patient one

good work, lady +10

simply beautiful..as always

this is my favourite one of your paintings, excellent work

Ms. Marta you just keep getting better and better everytime (hope, I will as well). Your realism is evolving further to a higher level. Even though you held back on the details it was well compensated on how your rendered your surfaces and textures that mimics the very thing itself. More power to you!

BTW thanks for the comment on my work on cgsociety. Much appreciated and honored to graced by you as well.

amazing work !!
+8/8

Oustanding!
Matt

Pretty amazing technique!

Excellent! The acheivement with the lighting really makes it pop out! Wonderfull job on the anatomy of the hands and the cloth looks great! The glow of the medallion is really nice! my only crit would be the medallion itself, the metal of it seems a bit flat compaired to the style of the rest of the picture. it is very well rendered but the style seems different. Just my opinion.

Top marks! 9/9

Really amazing. The atmosphere great. +10

Wonderful! i love this painting. I love how the pendant is the focal point, its a wonderful change!

i indeedly enjoy the left hand... both hands look quite realistic but i really have stuck into the left one.

Wonderful work!....Wonderful mood!
Carlos

lovely

wow!! Beautiful!!!!
Your best work!

Thank you so much for your comments, everyone. <3 I'm really glad this "stylistic experiment" was to your liking... Thank you so much again! =)

Wonderful! +7/7

wow the the hole picture looks so great - but the hands looks like you have put in a photo really perfect!!!
max points

I love the color palette you used for this piece! Awesome work!
John

wow – love your work just found it because of this post seen it before in the ballistic books - the way you light the subject is excellent
post more please- very inspiring, think I will go paint some women today

excellent! this looks very real!

A masterpiece. +10

Marta,

This is one of the truly professional works, from a professional point of view impeccable. Can't wait to see more. +8/8

Martina

What a captivating image! I don't know what else there is to say. Well done and keep it up

Marvellous!!

not too overdone not too cheap
just right
top work
>>>>>>>>

it gorgeous.

Perfect

Fantastic! I will not miss issue 16. I have enjoyed your presence in Imagine FX. Thanks and keep up the great work.

Wow excellent piece, the concept is brillant and your paintings are getting increasingly awesome. I'm a huge fan of your hands by the way... very beautiful. Good work!!

Wow.

woow looks very nice like a photo great skin textures aspect and i like the shadows and ligthing effects too. +10/10

all of ur works shown that u did spend a lot of time and effort in each one of ur work,,and that deserve to be respected,,this one really stunning one,,i cant get my eyes of her,,,and the pennant is wowwwww,,i dont have the words to descripe it,,this is my perfect mode,,it's dark but not scary forunatly,,
realy amazing and u deserve all that comments and attention
100000000,0000+
noha

breathtaking. The linen is perfect. Great mood and lighting.

wuaaaaaaaaa!!! may max!

I love your painting !

you're too good at painting hands, hehe

Wow. This is top-notch! The mood...the details...the light and shadows...everything, just perfect. Top points. Keep up the good work

O-M-G !!

love love your art

what can one say .... flawless ,beautiful, incredible talent

Another just amazing artwork!

Great mood!

You are very talented!

Absolutely wonderful! Such a lovely painting . Dark tones are great and I love the hands, the way they are positioned is interesting and her clothing and how her expression is. Wonderful work!!

+10
Rae

Wow, i love it

This is fantastic work. Her facial expression and body language fit the storyline. And it makes me think of what we know of historical oracles like the one at Delphi - that it was probably a young woman, who was given hallucinogens to induce the prophetic visions. She has just the right there / not-there expression.This could actually be out of history.

I agree with killadore that the piece might actually be stronger without the necklace at all. It distracts from that fantastic face and hands. But still 8/8!

What surprised me about this piece is that she appears to be a young girl as opposed to a fully grown woman, like I expected from the title. I like how that makes one think, just because it is an oracle, does NOT mean it is old...age is but a number...

wooow great job!!

greets!

great job

are you sure this isn't a photo! amazing work!

cool, its your best. Real paint feel

her hands are exquisite

like textures

really a great work !!