Finished this up this morning. I knew I wanted red in the background. Don't know why, just did. Added some details that were not in the ref to bring out the eyes a bit. I'm pretty happy with it. Unfortunately, when I showed it to the subject, his first reaction was to laugh. Don't know if it was because he was surprised to be a model, if he just thought it was funny or whatever. It wasn't the reaction I hoped for. Later, he said he was happy I chose him to be a subject. I'll follow through and show him the final version but I think this illustrates just how far apart my own impression is of my art and that of everyone else. I'll never understand it. It is what it is.

Five minutes later, I thought to play with turning some layers off and got this, which I think I like a lot better. Well, that's not the first time that's happened...