Wow ! I love this VERY VERY creative concept. I've had a similar idea tumbleing thru my head for weeks. I love the way the painting breaks thru the plane at the elbow joint, to join reality. I get lots of different feelings I could apply this image. AWESOME concept and set up. Paint make - up....nice touch. And btw, Step 2 is drop dead gorgeous.
Good luck.........JB

Thank you so much. This is the best comment I've received yet. I had the idea stuck in my head all day at work and couldn't wait to come home and create it. That happens a lot when you really get into photography. It was difficult becase two costumes and two setups were required and I'm one person working alone. I was very pleased by the final result. Thanks again for the kind words.

Totally agree with jbillitteri! Awesome work, Amazing! Adore it, love it,

This is smart.

yes this is a very smart idea, nice execution

Great image. Took me a while to notice the hand and when I did it just added to the overall wow of the image! Wonderful!

A little late for advice I know, but it think it would have been much better had you made the fingers in the background seem to be overlapping the foreground hand, just a little erasing and shadow may have given it more "wow"....great image all the same

I see what you mean and I thank you for the suggestion. I was trying to make it look like she was reaching for the brush, like she wanted to finish or paint herself out. It didn't line up perfectly with the brush though because it was a slight guessing game for where my artist hand was. I'm not expert enough with the puppet warp to trust it would have detail after the warp. I can't resubmit for this contest but I will try you're idea at some point.
Thanks everyone for the nice comments.

Beautifully executed Self portrait!

nice work...gl

Congrats for your third place!

Thanks!