How can I improve?
 

This is a 16 x 20 of a girl who was killed in an automobile accident. She was only 17. How can I improve on this piece. Thanks, Mark Gil

I'll give you my dos centavos Mark, I'm not clear on exactly what the red element is in the bottom left. Maybe it would be better to eleminate it? And the right side of the nose catches my eye. Maybe softening the edge of light and dark would help. I think the hair (which looks pretty good) could be improved by lightening the very dark values. Overall, it looks like you did a very good job. Maybe I could get some $change back?

I agree with Mike that the red object in the lower left doesn't "explain itself"...but I feel that the painting really needs that touch of red...

I really like your work Mark - it has a look all its own.

You have captured so much life in this portrait...I'd be afraid to suggest anything that would alter the overall "feel" of it. Nice job.

I like the work in the head area of the portrait, especially the hair. I wonder if you could have used a different background? Perhaps there is too much aqua color. It is like the face and hair have no connection to the colors anywhere else. Easy to criticize, but hard to do. I always have trouble with redheads deciding on a background. It seems that I always really need to use colors that are very toned down for redheads in order to avoid the clashy effects of blues and greens with red, even though green is the complimentary color.