Head shape
 

Hello Michele,

The distortions you illustrated for me are already solving the biggest problems I have with this piece. Thanks for the clear explanation. I think though my photograph of the painting wasn't perfect, it was representavive of a distorted image. This is a lesson in treating all aspects of the drawing with the same care (remembering something about a hasty shape of hair).

Thanks again,
Brian

It's not just the shape of her hair that is causing the problem. The axis of the nose leans to the left a bit, and the sides of the head at ear level are pushed too far left also.

Fresh
 

Fresh and unique work is by definition going to be a bit unusual. This looks like a famous living painter and I expect some expressive drawing in expressive styles - Van Gogh and El Greco come to mind, Rubens and others would find their drawings a bit "out" too if we worked them over. I've pointed out such things before and everyone gets very uncomfortable with that - you can't critique dead and famous painters' work.

I think your work will be stronger with more use of cools to offset the mostly warm look of it.