I have suspended work on the face for the moment and have begun to work on the details on the hardware of the jacket. One of the press studs completed and a start on the zip. There is a disproportionate amount of time needed to be spent on these details, which don't make a dramatic difference to the work, but it is these types of detail that I find take my attention and give me pleasure when looking at any painting.

I have altered the upper profile of the face considerably to better resemble the subject. I have been unhappy with that aspect for some time and decided to 'bite the bullet'.
I used a quick drying white under-paint, tinted with a little colour, on the face edges and in the stronger colour of the background. It has the effect of making a 'hard edge' which makes him look almost superimposed, but this will be negated once it is dry and I make minor adjustments by adding better shadowed flesh tones over the top. The left photo is from yesterdays post and the right photo the adjusted one. Naturally very minor adjustments to this will occur as I continue to work on the details.

I have continued working on the jacket texture and shadowing. It will need at least another two sessions and then maybe a few touch-ups at the finish.
I changed the edge outline of the bright white pages to the left and darkened toe separate cover page to the right. I may still darken the cover itself so that the sunlit part of the face will have more 'pop' as many people seem to describe a larger contrast between areas.
I am not happy with the top face profile, which is not correct for the subject of the work but will give it more thought before i make the alterations.
Because of the light in the room, the background in the top left of the painting appears brownish but it is, in fact, black.

The jacket texture progresses. Whilst it is representational, it is not acute photorealism. There is an element of impressionism in the texture, but having said that, the direction of the texture has to look possible or real according to folds in the fabric and the shadows created.
The pattern of the weave is quite definite in most areas, but there are some areas where it is not very distinct.
Some more highlights and filaments of wool have been added to the collar.

I have continued with the jacket texture and blocked in the under-paint to the zip and studs. Some texture has also been added to the collar of the jacket. I want the final texture on the collar to be highlighted with white with strands of the lambswool contrasting with the darker areas of the jacket.
I have added another layer to the background behind the face giving it a bluish hue but I am unsure at this stage if I like the this hue or if I prefer a slightly more green-blue one similar to the book cover.
It may not be noticeable, but I also took a few millimetres off the face profile. I may also need to take more off in the future, before I finish the work.

With a start on the coat fabric, texture and colour, this area of the painting is beginning to make sense.
There will still be some shadow tone and highlights to the section already started and some fine texture to the lambswool added when touch dry.
I shall continue with the coat, and add the large press studs and zip on completion.

The rough underpainting of the jacket is now complete with the fabric texture and small areas of colour to be overpainted when dry.
It is a very textured 'winter' coat and will provide contrast with the smoother texture of the face.
I have shown the stage photograph to a few interested friends and they have shown a tendency to want to turn the picture around to make the face upright, but this is a painting where he is lying down, head on a lap and listening to the story being read. In this sense, the portrait is also telling a story.
The pages of the book shown on the left are in full sun and very well 'lit' and it concerns me a little. I want it to appear very bright in the sunlight but I also want it to be recognised for what it is. I may add more of the 'creamy' suggestions of page separations at a later stage but I suspect that I shall leave it until the end to make the final decision.

I think that the book that is being listened to is now obvious to most as long as you recognise the colour and the 'ear'!
Of course it is the tales of Peter Rabbit.
Only very slight adjustments will be needed at the end of painting.
I shall add the 'almost white' area next, which has a little shadow on it from the head. It is this little shadow that will help it to make sense in the composition.

The book is beginning to get the feel that I am after. I am not attempting to paint every page but to just give a suggestion of pages. There is more light on the top page and I shall add some more light 'creeping' in on the far left edges.
Some adjustments need to be made to the edges of the upper pages and the section of the pages in full sunlight will be almost white with little suggestion of the colour of paper.
After the book is complete I shall start to add texture and form on the jacket, leaving the refinements to the portrait itself until last.

I have added the underpainting to the book pages that are in shadow.
Stage one in the top photo, and stage two in the lower photo. Also in the lower photo, the underpainting to the lambswool collar has been added.
There are a few more stages, with refinements of tone and line still to be added, along with more glazes of paint on the face, in particular in the shadows.

I have given the background its second layer and added many more tones to the hair.
I will need to allow the hair to dry before putting in other highlights, so I will continue with the foreground in the next session.
I always feel that a photograph of a painting makes it look better overall but it can also highlight faults, so it is a great tool in this respect.

I have started to add hair texture and the underpainting to the coat.
I am not content yet with the hair tone, but this is only the beginning. I don't paint each hair, but will add a few single fine hair strands on top of the texture and on the edges of the head when complete.
The background will need another layer too with some details in the shadows.

More tone added to the shadow part of the face along with minor tone changes to the mouth. I'm getting closer to the effect that I am trying to achieve but not there yet.
I shall begin to add the first layer of hair soon along with the mid-tone underpainting to the jacket.