Final Version of Skylar
 

What with working full-time and then getting sick a lot this fall and winter, it

Head-and-Shoulders Shot

Here's the close-up, as best I could get it.

Hi, Julie,

On a quick fly-by, I'd say this is looking quite good but in order to get an assessment of the values you're going to need to give this a spray of retouch varnish. The darks (especially in the hair, where you've probably used earth colors) have "sunken in", or become matte or dull, and the retouch varnish will restore those. That's temporary, and eventually only a final varnish will hold those values for you. Wait a while, though, before doing a final, otherwise you risk a cracked varnish surface because the paint will dry more slowly than the varnish. How long to wait is open to lots of debate. If you painted very thin, a short time (days or weeks); very thickly, much longer (months).

Re: retouch varnish
 

Hi Steven -

I have a bottle of retouch varnish and hand sprayer - one of those old metal tubes that you put one end in the bottle and blow on the other end and it sprays.
My darks are very thin and have been dry for quite a while. My thicker lighter areas are still wet. If I just spray on the darker areas, will that be okay, do you think?

Yes, that would at least help. I'd drop by the art store and get a spray can of retouch varnish, though, so you can quickly hit the entire painting, which in turn is going to help make the values assessment more accurate.

I have one of those aspirators you mentioned but I've never actually used it. (Just seemed like a good idea, or neat gadget, at the time, I guess.)

The "thick-or-thin paint" caution doesn't apply to retouch (as opposed to final) varnish. Retouch is a diluted varnish that isn't going to form the hard, "crackable" film of the final. It's ideal for bringing up pigments that have sunken in. (Some folks also use it as a compromise "final" if the painting has to be delivered before the paint has dried sufficiently to take straight varnish.)

By the way, in cleaning up this thread earlier, I think I inadvertently deleted the photo image that you had in fact intended to post. Oops. You might wish to re-post that.

More to come
 

Thanks -

I'll get a can. The next shots will probably be done with a regular camera for better detail. I have to shoot using daylight, so it may take a few days until the weather is better before I can update.

A better photo
 

Okay, here it is after retouch varnish and using print film. It's pretty close to the original in value now.

closeup
 

Here is a closeup - better for the light areas than the dark. The first (digital) photos give a better idea of the colors in the dress, even if it is too dark overall - these new photos tend to not show any of that color.

Closeup
 

Well, I wanted to put in the reference photo anyway. Here is the painting's closeup.

Again
 

Here's the painting taken with print film. I added retouch varnish, but by the time I added some details and took the picture, a patch to the left of the hair started going flat again).

Hi, Julie,

You'd emailed, asking for deletion of one of the images, but perhaps it's already been done, as I can't see anything here obviously needing to be deleted. In any event, I think you're in good shape here, so I'm going to leave things as I found them.

As for that bit of pigment that keeps wanting to sink in, try dipping a point of cloth into linseed oil and rubbing that area lightly in circular fashion. With a dry part of the cloth, "mop" off any obvious excess. That should hold it for a while.

Thanks
 

It appears the lighter image was deleted, which was what I was hoping for. I'll try the linseed oil.

Looking at the picture, I realized I made the side of the mouth on the far side from the light too light a value, so I took off the little bit of light color I had added there. Any other suggestions? I look at the photo and my painting, and there seem to be plenty of differences. The drawing again? Not that I am going to start over drawing now, but would like feedback, and I will make what changes I can. If no other comments, then I will contact Skylar's mom to make sure I've gotten the eye color closer and the cleft chin as she prefers, and will call it quits.
This marks a year since I started drawing and painting again (I had not done anything seriously in about 20 years). What I have learned in this 12 month's time includes:
1. I can't paint a good picture if it's not drawn correctly.
2. Take my time! Study the form!
3. Good brushes will make or break a painting.
4. Values, values, values.
5. Don't be satisfied with the first composition you come up with. Play around.
6. Get others' advice to help you see what you can't on your own.

So - thank you Steve. Because of your advice I picked a different photo than what I was originally going to use. I kept on drawing because of your feedback. (And I still have a long long way to go on that). I changed my composition because you noted how plain and without much going on the bottom half of my original drawing was. Your comments really help and I am in awe of all the help you are willing to give anyone who asks.

And thanks, Chris Saper, for your helpful tips on adding some blue and purple highlights to the hair.

You guys are all so nice and helpful!