Practice and Update

Update:  This is a second version of the Erhart reliquary bust from the 1400s completed yesterday.  Again, the same materials were used with the addition of a bit of embellishment with a gold Sakura Pen Touch marker.  This time, no color was added to the cheeks (because watercolor doesn't mix well over pencil shading).  I've also done the head scarf differently.  The original was in watercolor and pencil.  In this one, it was done in watercolor only.  The original method worked better in terms of conveying a 'feeling' of lightness.  Ultimately, this second version is better, but there are still issues that would merit a third version.  

Original Post:  Tonight's effort is based on a reliquary bust of St. Mary Magdalen by Michel Erhart from the 1400s.  The bust is in a flesh tone with a gold dress, and bright pink cheeks.  These of it doesn't really have notable color.  So, I've taken some liberties in the piece below.  My sketch was done with mechanical pencil (HB core) and painted in with Japanese watercolors and a few acrylic paints.  

I like the use of a translucent and opaque color combo I used to to arrive at the dress shading color.  I also like the grey and burnt sienna combo used to create the dress trim as well as the use of gold plus watercolor used on the headpiece.

What doesn't work is that part of the face has a slight angle issue.  Aside from that, the face is too wide, hat is too small, and body is too big.  In fact, the bust source image has the entire woman to the waist with her hands nicely posed on a wall in front of her.  Since I started with the face and made it too big, the rest of the body couldn't be included.  (For comparison purposes, the source photo is provided below as well.)

This one needs to be redone with the goal of including the full bust image on my substrate.