My Painting Process: Stage Five The Finish

Reviewing the work after blanking it for a couple of days worked and I can now show you the final piece. I am pleased with the final result and think that this picture certainly doesn't do the piece justice.

The parts that I found needed amending had simpler solutions than I originally thought when last gazing at it. Also, as I predicted in my last post; after coming back to the painting with a clear mind I found that it wasn't as flawed as I thought initially. Looking at something so intensely for so long does that to you I guess and a break from this monotony brings a sharper eye to study the problems.

So what did I change? Well I changed two parts of the subject to the right: One: I noticed that the top of her head was too flat, so I rounded this off adding the needed height and shape. Two: the definition around the cheeks was too severe, especially for a child's face which would normally have less definition. I solved this by washing over the defining points with a skin oil colour I mixed and this looked to be the finishing touch.

Overall this has been a satisfying project. The experience was capped of brilliantly when the client gushingly expressed his gratitude and how pleased he was. Which in the end is the best thing about the job and the reason for going through the process I have taken you through. It is a truly rewarding journey that I would recommend to anyone!