Steven, Hi. Thank you for taking the time to critique my painting.
The hair had a lot of glare on it in the photo, so the flat look is as a result of photoshopping that glare away with black.
I have had a good reaction to the teeth! Well, that is Gail's personality so it was a good choice I think. Mostly blues and who knows what else made it into the edges of the mix!
That kept it subdued and pulled it off. Then a streak of white around the edges of the two front teeth and a tiny bit on the top of those two teeth.
Thanks for the drawing compliment. Yes, I got her likeness. For a while she looked a bit like Jackie Kennedy
, but with some adjustments, the real Gail made it through.
That question of where to place the center was a toughy. The reason I chose the left of center was thinking I'd have more room for the light behind her for the background fill. I read one time that 99% of famous portraits have one eye dead of center.
Yes, her ear is like that and so is her forehead. She has a very angular face , even more so than I portrayed it. Well, we want her to like this, right? But, I do see where the ear should be darkened and redder. I still have the painting so I will fix that. Thanks for spotting that. Weird ear.
This is not dramatically lit, Steven and not only that but I have been criticised for making the values too disparate in this painting and told to soften them. Pretty confusing, all this different advice. Doesn't it all depend on the lighting? I see where these values should be more cohesive. I think that will sink in more as time goes by and as my skill with this keeps improving.
Thanks, also, about the shoulder and the softening of it. That's a good point and another thing I will address before delivering this painting.
Renee