Dear Chris,
I wish I could agree with you about moving forward in leaps and bounds, but it is more like a battle with every painting. Progress is very hard earned and not necessarily a given with each painting.
This piece was indeed a study in values. Oliver is a very fair skinned person, with very light eyebrows and light lashes. Then there was the receding hairline and a forehead bathed in sunlight with the subject being in front of a much darker background. I felt like I was stuck in value ranges 10 through 5 (Munsell).
The cut out forehead was bothering me and when I saw your comment about the vine, I just had to make some adjustments. I made the leaves a bit larger in the background and toned down the vine. Hopefully this looks better now.
It was very kind of you to comment and point the vine out. Thank you!
