Here is a close up. The problems with this painting in hind sight are: 1. Hands are too small. Common beginner mistake I was told. 2. Face too big and too many brushstrokes. 3. Scale of the painting is such that the face looked different when viewed from a distance from up close. This analysis was all very well but correction was fraught with difficulties. I repainted the hands no problem. But the face had me stumped. The photo I worked from was too flat to give clues. And on my first attempt the face was fine up close but really amateurish from a distance.
This is the second attempt. I know it is still imperfect but she doesn't look too bad from a distance. Up close she actually improves. So long as the face does not distract from the movement and colour!
