Decided to paint a picture of my niece who is 8 months old in this picture. Ava was so animated at my daughter Julia's birthday party that she took all the best pictures. The way her eyebrow curves, the breath I can nearly feel as I look at her mouth captured me, but the painting doesn't show this at all.

My first mistake was probably tracing the picture instead of measuring and drawing. First of all, this is wicked cheating. Secondly, as I painted I felt like it was a bit like paint-by- numbers--just coloring in shapes, especially with her hand and arm. Blue over pink on her face seems to work--some. Making the fabric look like real fabric meant simplify, simplify and paint by dabbing.

When I come back to this painting, more layering of light colors is needed--and more light from the right side of the picture.