[Chris Saper]

Dear Mai,

Yoiu have done a good job proofreading your painting, with a solid plan in mind for the next steps. In answer to the specific things you mention:

1. Yes, the eye in shadow has too much contrast, and the white of the eye is too light. Correct this first and then reevaluate.

2. The overall value pattern looks good. Until you get farther along with the background, I can't offer much helpful advice here.

3. Value pattern on the dress: you will want to have similar value shifts between light and shadow throughout areas in similar planes. Here, I see less difference between light and shadow on the dress (the skirt) than in the face or bodice.

Other things you might want to watch for:

-Reflected light on the upper lip. It looks too light to stay in the shadow.

-Reflected color. It looks to me like there is a sense of warm reflected color from the yellow pillow on the arm and dress on our left. From what it looks as if you are working with an assumed warm light source, letting the shadows be cooler. You have other opportunites to give hints of relected color from the red pillow, into the shadows of the dress face, and hat. I see that you have already addressed this in the arm in shadow.

You have mentioned already the edges and values in the hat, so it's good that you have made this part of your plan for the next stage!

Good luck,