Corrections
 

Hi :)
Sorry I'm late :)
Lewis, Michele, Thank you guys so much :)
I've been busy Zbrushing a digital sculpture for a job...took some time...anyway I've managed to take away a couple of hours to make some corrections...
I moved her left arm (our right) a bit to the left and started making corrections on her left sleeve, basically repainting it with bluish/purplish whites and titanium white.
Also there are some corrections that need to be done on her right sleeve and arm they need to go a little bit to the left (our right)...
Job is done elhamdulilah... so ISA I'll be posting another update soon...since I'm making corrections, I've decided to make a new palette and start working on everything.

I've added a comparison photo to illustrate the corrections I've made.
It's a small update but I hope you all like it.

Really enjoying seeing the progress on this!

:d
 

I'm glad you do Terri :)
I was just checking your website...nice work :)

I have been editing the previous post, changing the last picture everytime I work(I've so little time to work on it everyday..small updates are too small for a new post)..just thought the next time I post, it would be when I start working on her portrait :)

Details
 

Hi :)
Here Ill be posting the latest update on my painting, since I've worked on the hands and the book I thought I should post some detail shots so that everyone would be up to date on how the painting is looking so far up close there is a lot of detail work I've painted that was just not visible in the previous posts, ISA tomorrow I'll start building up the portrait.
I've changed my medium (the previous one had too much oil) I used stand oil turpentine and dammar varnish 1-1-1 and as for the glaze I used the same contents only 4 times the amount of turpentine. Got it from Robert Massey's book.
I've been skumbling the tones of her right hand (our left) to build them up gradually, gave me some degree of control in that very tiny area specially in the fingers.
This has been one tough experience and I've been learning a lot from it..hopefully when I repaint it again I'll be much faster.... jk

Hope you all enjoy

The Portrait stage 1
 

Hello, it's been a while I was busy again...zbrushing a full anatomy study does take some time plus the other portraits I've been working on which I'll be posting in this thread too right after this one...:)
Anyway I managed to play today and after fooling around with this for 4-5hours straight I decided to call it quits for today and post, there is still more to do to get the likeness right but ISA I'll be working on stage 2 next time..

I hope you all like it :)

Portrait of Gabrielle Cot After William-Adolphe Bouguereau.
 

I had to stop working on the other one, I was busy with a 3D project.
It took me a long time working on the previous copy, the slow careful approch is just too slow...I learned a lot from it but I'd rather not do that again if I ever want a career in painting.
So I decided to start a new one this week...less mind more instinct.
This was more fun and less restrictive, basically you paint with the idea that if you make a mistake you can always paint over it or move things around if the paint is still wet.
The picture I painted from is not the best so I had to rely on some logic placement of color values and layers, in short I improvised.

I'll get back to the previous portrait right after this one.
Size is 4x6in 10x15cm.

Looking great. if I'm being picky, I'd say you might have overstated the half-tones a little, based on a comparison with the reference you've posted (but that may be a bit washed out in the photo). In particular, if say the planes of the nose look a bit hard edged, I think because the highlight tells a little too strongly against its half-tones. Also, on the cheek I think you could do with turning the form a little closer to the jaw. Of course, I'm actively searching for things to criticise here - it's a lovely piece of work. I always find it easier to spot these kinds of error in other people's work than in my own. Don't know what that says about me!

You tend to forget to view your work in front of a mirror don't you? :)

I do that a lot, only this time I tried not to, then I discovered that I painted my ear instead of hers :) its obvious on picture number 2.

It's funny how our minds play tricks on us...
You are absolutely right, I did notice these things also the orientation of the eyes is a bit off and her eyebrows left one(our right) needs adjusting also the corners of the mouth and the lower lip need adjusting I think I'll adjust those when I systematically apply a glaze over the face and start building up those flesh tones again.
I'm trying to work on everything and not stay in one place, also trying to stay as far from the painting as possible at this point so that my strokes would land on the right places.

Thank you man for choosing to be picky with the painting I'm glad you did.

I've had a mirror in a stand sitting behind my easel for many years. I use it every day. It's a must. I forget which old master it was who used to say, "let your mirror be your teacher."

hmmm. gotta get me a mirror.... (not that I was unaware of the trick - I've just never gotten round into the habit of doing it.)