[Timothy C. Tyler]

Xander, interesting question you ask. The brushstrokes are thicker than one might expect from the photos and I believe this helps with the light concept. Some parts (the darks) are very thin. Then bright passages very thick so the light refracts from the strokes and helps these areas appear even brighter. This is an old trick of course that has been done since 1600. But, it still works.

I have a ton of time in this piece (for me)...maybe that accounts for some of these differences you note. Here's the model and the box she posed in.

Thanks to you all for the nice remarks, Tim