I am going to admit, every day I drive out to icon painting class, I go past the pub. Every day, I think, maybe I will just stop at the pub and call in sick for class. I don't know how Mary is going to turn out. Every week, I find a new set of mistakes that need my attention. Every week, I am faced with a new challenge to my skills, and being a clumsy painter has no advantage.
This week, I added more bright colours to the skin, although we are still looking at earth tones. The dimensionality of the face is improving.
Next week, though, I will stop at the pub, so no icon updates. Our classroom is booked for another event. We all get a break, especially any secular JSVB readers who aren't keen on Mary's Mondays.
The next step is to add some detail lines to the face, including eyes. I may simulate this step in Painter, as I don't have experience putting down those lines in paint. I've seen these lines in other icons, theyr'e called "enhancers" or "liveners". They look amazing.