I love the colours you've worked into the dress and thedetail of the background. I take it your friend has some kind of Egyptian connection?

LOL. Err yeah, you could say that

Wonderful character and painting!

Good work Rachel, the creases in the dress look really good +9

my eyes keep getting drawn to the spot under her left breast, the edge of her form, that whole secton seems a bit flat....something about the highlight is off, it doesn't give the quality of round...your light source is in determinable when you really start to connect up the highlights...bottom of her right sleeve, right hip, left hip, face, is it dark infront of her or behind? is the light to the left and the right or behind? although the creases are great, they seem to wander from the natural shape, look under the right armpit...position of the hand and wrist on the left hand would mean her wrist joint is up to high...

the only reason i bring it up is your work is good, i went and looked around your gallery, it just feels like you cut yourself short on this one? some more time and its perfect, and your on your way toward elite....

Thanks for your crit Peter The light source is complex but the different directions partly have come from me imagining she was standing at the door of a tomb with different shafts of light falling upon her... but also because I was still trying to follow the feel of her velvet dress and stay true to replicating the texture. I read an insightful Arenhaus crit recently which implored people to paint more what they feel than what they see when referencing photos (words to that effect anyway) and i've been focusing more on that than perfecting other elements.

Thanks for giving me something more to think about

velvet dress is awesome ...

you could almost feel the velvet dress. Awesome!

well the velvet is great, when i saw it, there was no question in my mind it was velvet, you nailed the velvet...

glad you got the gest of my critique, i mean we're all here to get each other to that next level right...no matter what that is...trust me when i say i wouldn't write all that out if i didn't KNOW by looking at your work that you could take it...its obivious your a serious artist...

The velet is amazing....agreed.

I think the hair is a bit stiff. It may be waving, but it seems that it's almost 'frozen' or molded into that shape and placed on the head.

I really like the lighting effects in the background as well.

this is wonderfula side from what has already been said.. you got the velvet dead on... very nice

it's really nice... egypt ehehe i like this. i like mostly her dress

nice egyptian picture.She looks a bit like angelica houston. Who or what are Curve? I am having one of those "no idea" days today. I bet when you tell me I will know.

I've PM'd you Andy

looks like real velvet

amazing great work!

nice dress. the hair could need some reflections.

wow lovely! I love the dress! The folds are very subtle yet visible, very very elegant! Lovely colors too!

VG Work +9