The photos almost see through the paint to the under layer. It does not look this transparent in person. I will do another layer and modify the flesh. Also I want to darken the hair a little, especially the lower areas not in light.

one thing I am particular about in my portraits is the depth and suppleness of the flesh. I remember when I painted Plimoth Wife, the old ladies skin tones took a lot of work. It will be the same here and the camera emphasizes it. I know that the layering helps but it is also a matter of coming up with the right paint mixture. Everything in the light looks good. I just cannot allow the shadows to seem so rough. Often, when looking at museum portraits, I see this unfinished shadow area. To the untrained eye, it may all work, but I expect it to be better. I hope I can achieve what I am looking for. And we know the saying, ‘I’ll know it when I see it.’ Diana