From beginning to end.

It is always interesting to me to look at the full evolution of a painting.  Sorry to those of you who have seen these and don't really care to see them again but I am putting them all in one post for my own viewing and analysis.

The difference in the last two photos is from taking the picture inside vs. outside. It is amazing how different the lighting makes the painting look.

 

 

I began this nursing painting and have realized after working on about half of it that I should have probably done a background layer of color to unify the painting. I need to darken the whole face, which became obvious after adding the dark hair and background. It can be so hard to judge tone before all of the context is in place.

I am hoping that this painting develops along standard lines of high hopes, frustration, fatalism, hope and then delight.  I often feel like giving up on paintings mid progress, and if I manage to push past the issues they do often work out.