Stella’s face is coming to life now as I add the final darks and lights around her eyes. Her nose is brought out closer to you by the light area around her snout. With each added detail her expression comes more to life.
With her nose, I see that a great deal of detail is needed for it to look real. Specific details in the black and white areas so that the parts show shine and look wet. Shiny things have highlights that are not blended on their edges. They are instead kind of paint-by-number entities.
You have probably noticed that I have done a lot of work on the background painting in the tree/bush branches then changed and did a barrage of leaves instead. These leaves are in colors ranging from light to dark green and even purple. I am still not in love with the background and will probably have to do more on it before I am satisfied.