3dluvr: Do you paint in a larger resolution and scale it down for presentation?

I almost always do, the larger the work resolution is the easier it is to create a nice effect. If I find that a piece needs a touchup it can be much more difficult to do it when the resolution is too small.

3dluvr: How often do you experiment with new styles and techniques?

I find it very exciting to experiment and discover new techniques. I usually try to keep to my usual style, but if an image requires something new to get the desired effect I really enjoy the challenge of expanding my range.

3dluvr: Do you use alot of reference material?

That depends on the project.  I usually try to paint completely without reference, so that everything comes from my imagination.  But sometimes it can't be helped, especially when you're required to paint something from the real world and you haven't painted it before.  I find it very useful to practice without reference because it forces you to be more creative, but like I said, it can't always be done that way.

3dluvr: What are your views on underpainting? (The practice of painting directly over a photograph.)

Oh, the fever that lures artists over to the dark side.  I think that this is the worst thing an artist can do.  Painting over a photograph doesn't teach you anything, it kills any sense of color and form, and for lack of a better word, its cheating.

Unfortunately, many artists are reliant on this form of painting and usually dont mention how they went about creating the image.  Its very easy to spot and very frusterating when you see a perfectly painted portrait, while the other elements like the lining and composition are sub par.  I've only ever met one artist that paints this way and does it well, his name is Eyewoo and the way he paints over a photograph is very creative, he changes the original style of the painting and puts his spin on it, and at the end he is open about how it was created.