Ava, almost two
 

This is an oil on board, 8 X 10. Am interested in any pointers, comments, or critiques. Thanks in advance.

HI Wendy, The first thing I think of when I view this painting is the question of whether a portrait should smile or not. I would prefer less of a smile as it makes it look more like a snapshot than a portrait.

This question has been discussed previously in the forum so you might want to review those posts to begin with.

Thank you, Mary, I will read the posts. I prefer the more formal look too, but customers have their ideas as well. I will look forward to seeing what others have shared.

I agree with Mary. That being said, I think you couldn't have done a better job with your photo reference!

Thank you, Chris, for taking the time