Birthday surprise

This is a portrait of a friend’s wife, made to celebrate her birthday. He’d originally intended it to be a surprise, but I made him get her permission before I started. I don’t want to spring an intimate painting on anyone. I hope I finished in time! I didn’t actually ask when her birthday was. If I’m behind, sorry!

Painting this was a good way to challenge my set of subjects and media. The custom pen I’ve been sketching with can give some nice chiseled lines, but is otherwise pretty bad for painting. I wound up reverting to the base Sinix dry brush after a while. You get no tapering of the lines with it, but better control all around.

Getting her likeness was especially hard, with her head pitched back at a cheeky angle. I hope I did her right. Both of them seem pleased with the work, I’m happy to say.