Practice

This effort is based on Karl Joseph Stieler's "Augusts of Bavaria, Duchess of Leuchtenberg' dated 1820.  Interestingly, after finishing this and doing a Google search, I found the reference photo that I had used on Wikipedia.  However, there is another version of the painting on Getty Images.  So, I'm unsure which is the original work by Stieler or if both of them are.  That said, the Getty Images version looks like a more likely ensemble that would have been worn by the Duchess.  

Friday, the sketch was done.  I painted the sketch in with Japanese watercolors yesterday and today.  To start, I specifically tested a watercolor brush pen to see how it would work.  The intention was to have it apply a light grey in the shadow areas.  That did not work!  The paint using this tool--went on too dark, and it color would not blend when another wet layer was added over it.  

The curls in this piece are better than my first effort and a lot of practice is still needed.  The lips in this image are downturned while the reference has a slight smile.  I may rework it, but the way it currently looks doesn't bother me.  The eye closest to the viewer is still a bit big even after having reshaped it.  I think I'm going to leave it this way, though.  

Other than that, the dress was painted with a 3-color combination (light blue, grey and a pearlescent white).  I like how it looks fluffy in texture...and has a sense of organza fabric.  I have yet to figure out how to embellish a painted area so it looks like fur.   The beige garment around the body is supposed to be a fur, though it doesn't look like it yet.  This is an item to add to my 'to learn' list.