I thought I’d share one of my portrait painting tricks with you all. I like getting to this stage in the portrait. Features are painted and fairly accurate. The first coat of paint is mostly dry. At this point one by one I refine each feature. I take a picture of the actual photo I’m working from and a picture of my painting, crop them to the same size, and flip back and forth between the two on my phone. Corrections become really obvious that way. I’ve found that I have to trick my brain into seeing how something actually is, and not what I assume it is.
I also measure the heck out of everything using my dividers.
This is the photo from when I was working on her mouth. I think this is before corrections, I can see a few things that need to be changed.
I’m working from a black and white photo from the 60’s so this portrait has been a little more challenging. At first I painted it practically in sepia tones. I paint what I see so I have to overcome the black and white.
Jill Millward Artwork 
I sure can’t see much, if anything, that needs to be changed. It’s awesome.
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Thanks Judith! I think her mouth is fuller than I painted it. But it’s very picky. I have to remember to loosen up, but at the same time these people want this to look like their mom.
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From what I’ve seen so far, the painting is beautiful.
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Thank you for sharing these tips.
I am a beginner amateur and only experimenting with poor colour pencils
at the moment but finding the strife overtaking the pleasure.
Your Art is quite noticeable and i m sure i can learn a lot from observing
as well as enjoying the finished results.
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Thank you! Much appreciated.
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I don’t know much about portraits but I think the painting is beautiful and precise.
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Thank you Carrie! I love how it turned out, it’s a little different than other portraits I’ve done.
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