More "Erica"

This is where I'm at with this painting so far. Not a great photo, but it gives the basic idea. At this point all of the canvas has been covered with a lay-in skin. Some parts have already recieved a finsihing skin, the turban, table and part of the wine bottle. Next week I'm going to concentrate on bringing the portrait to a finish. In keeping with the fat over lean principle, I used no oil during the lay-in. For the finishing pass I oil out the surface and than add a bit of oil to my paint mixtures. I've been using an open palette on this one rather than my usual procedure of mixing strings, and it's been kind of liberating. I'm mainly painting with stiffer bristle brushes as opposed to the softer synthetics that I'd been using for a while and I'm enjoying the difference in handling with that as well. I now reserve the synthetic rounds for adding that extra bit of detail or accent. Erica's a great model, and I've got a pretty good likeness, but in the next skin I want to get more of the light and how the specular light on her face really changes into some wonderful hues.