/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

>>1912467

I agree that though upping the values could help you'd have to wrestle with highly contrasting values in a female face - which would making it harder on yourself.

So first and foremost, don't stress that you didn't get it on the first go - portraiture has enough material to warrant a lifetime of study in and of itself. I think your biggest problem with it right now is that you've over-rendered the face and lost the clear-cut modelling that a single light source would provide. Try simplifying it back again into maybe 3 distinct values - a sparing bright value for the top of her head, maybe a hint of it on the top of the screen-right cheekbone and nose; a nice skin tone for the front and screen-right side of her face; and a shadow tone for the rest. No variation, just simple tones. Then work on edges, all nice and soft and ladylike, which will do a huge amount of the work for you. Lastly, if you need to, add further definition where it's needed.

Just keep it simple, you'll get a stronger statement of the forms that way. Also, be sure you establish what the temperature of the light is, and what colors your shadows will be. Is the light warm, making the shadows cooler? Is it cool, making the shadows warmer? Don't worry about sub-surface scattering until you get to edges, either - yes, it's very important in painting a face, but deal with it after you've defined your planes. Use a loaded brush with a saturated tone to help create the edges you need, for example.

I did a small paintover which may or may not be helpful, but I hope something in here helps you along.