Steps in painting a portrait in workshop

Model sits on a podium with lighting to enhance the shapes caused by light and shadows.   We time her to sit still for 20 minutes and then she gets a 7 minute break.  This goes on for a total of 3 hours.

 I start by lightly drawing with Burnt Sienna paint to give me some guidelines as to where the face and hair are.  Making sure they are not in the center of the board.

I keep defining the shapes by adding more shading and looking for light and dark values

Once I am confident that the basic shapes are met then I start to add color paying attention to the hue and value of the color.  Also continue to check to make sure the porportons of the model is correct.

Still define the shapes with light and dark colors.  Checking to make sure I am refining the likeness of the model.  To paint accurately I have to stand back and look at the model and the painting.

Now I am past what I call the ugly stage of a portrait, the painting is beginning to look more like the model

Almost there, but need to refine the color and blending of the light and dark sides to give more 3D to painting.  Keep going back and forth with the paint to refine the painting.

Feel good about the painting, think I got a good likeness, color tones are good and values okay.  So this is all done in a matter of a few hours.  A commissioned portrait takes much more time and thought, but in the workshop if I can get a good model likeness, color and values in the skin tone I have had a good painting day.