Just checking

Painting day! I started getting some details in place on Lydia's portrait today. I thought I'd snap a quick photo to check my work -- I am always amazed how reducing a piece to 2 dimensions gives me such a MUCH clearer picture of flaws. And there usually are flaws... sigh...

On the whole though, I am not unhappy with where I am so far! I need to add the shadows that will define the ball of her nose and add quite a bit of color to her lips. The background above her head needs to be toned down too. Her right pupil got away from me and is too big, but I won't touch it until the paint dries a bit. I have learned that it is almost as easy to make mud with oil paints as it is with watercolors!

The likeness is good though. Her hair is about perfect and I can't believe how easy it was to put in her necklace. I had been worrying about that little detail -- it's one of her signature pieces -- but I think I got it right in about 5 minutes.

I have to start thinking about another picture to paint next.