I've been meaning to speak to you about color depth and effects of colors upon each other. With this portrait series, I always paint the face first because that is the part of the composition that I am most likely to fail. I work on the face until I think it is finished. Like this portrait of Bill H., I thought the colors were intense and bold. But as I began painting other areas, his face began to look pale and washed out. The more I work the paler he will become. Eventually I will have to go back and bump up the skin tones and eyes. Colors can have dramatic effects on each other. One must always look out for those surprises. 

I am stopping for today. I'm not sure if the mask is finished until I look at it tomorrow with fresh eyes.