"art is smearing food.."

Well, just to define what I personally do admire and strive against I show what I think is the best portrait ever published on Renderosity, namly addy's

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/master-techniques-for-realism-using-postwork/46535

If you can paint like this you will never be without a job in the CG industry IMO. It is a class of its own far above even those semirealistic renders from raph.com above.

Some think art is smearing food, others this it it about style and taste, Take your pick. But one thing I have learned in a long life, "those who can do, those who can't teach."

 “Even the hint of a hand-created element can activate a surface, instill passion and energy into a medium, and reassure the recipient that human understanding and insight are the foundation for the message.” Josh Chen