Illustration Friday topic is Beard

It seems the great bearded Santa is my obvious choice for the topic. He is so fun to paint. I love that you can create his persona in so many styles and medium. There are so many areas to get lost in...the fur of his hat, the swirl of his beard, the lines of his face....This happens to be in oils on board. I also love playing with shadow and light, so this particular painting was a delight to do.