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/Checking ego at the door

So Ive really been afraid to paint a bust ever since failing epicly two years ago. To me, its such a huge judge of a painters ability, and it requires a lot of skills that I have not been able to
practice due to commission painting. Somehow, painting hundreds of Space Marines just dont cut it when it comes to skin tones.

Anyway, I sculpted this lady a few months ago and finally printer a bust of her, a little less than three inches tall. Ive started on the face/skin first, and after about two hours I am where I am.

The pictures scare me because she doesnt look THAT rough in real life, and I know that Ive got a lot more to do on the face. What worries me most is the 'chunkiness' of the paint on the face, and
I know glazes should help but will it be enough at this point? Ive been using really thin layers and from a foot away shes looking alright, but yea, needs a lot of work.

The hair is just a base coat and wash, nothing else has been done.

So for the more seasoned painters out there, what can we do to improve this going forward (tomorrow)?

Hey Zach, it's not actually looking too bad at the moment.
The colours and tones you're used in her face are quite nice and she has a lot of character.

I think that roughness might have come from the primer that you've used, which looks quite dusty/gritty on the rest of her. Or maybe the printed sculpt is rough?

Do you water down your paints? When dealing with multiple tones, like in the face for example, you really want to water down your colours (a lot more than usual) so that you can layer them on without build up. It means using a lot of thin coats (more than Duncan's 2 thin coats) but it definitely helps to stop thick build up.

Her eyes might be in too much shadow compared to the rest of her face and to the depth of her brow. If it's makeup, perhaps you could pronounce that more by either bringing it further out, like over her eyebrows and a little over her cheeks or making it smaller as thinner eye liner.

You certainly have nothing to be afraid about though. The sculpt is great, the tones and colours you're using are good, she has heaps of personality and colour already in just the skin. Just need to workout what's causing it to have that rough texture and to keep the lighting consistent across the bust (or to pronounce the makeup more if its makeup) and it'd be great.

Thanks for the reply, I had dreams about this thing, definitely facing a demon.

The primer pic is just to show that I started with black and then sprayed from above with white to show where highlights are SUPPOSED to go...the primer was airbrushed on very thin and the print is super smooth, so its definitely my fault, paint wise.

It is make up, and Ive kind of gone back and forth. I agree looking at it with fresh eyes that it needs to come out. I think, although I definitely thinned down my paints, that after a few hours of going back and forth so much that it was kept thin enough for that kind of work.

Is there any hope of saving/repairing the rough texture?

My big fear is Ive already lost the original expression of the sculpt that I was so proud of. Heres the render of it, and Im not seeing it in the paintwork. Especially the lips, I feel like I need to start all over on them but thats yet more paint to cover up.

The sculpt is absolutely beautiful man you should be really proud, yeah with faces the usual and trusted 2 thin coats is not even enough. I do about 6 or 7 on 28mm minis so this is gonna need more to get the more subtle layers of shadows etc.

I decided to keep pushing forward yesterday, and to not get too bogged down in the face. I adjusted the lighting on her lip a bit but otherwise didnt touch it. Also extended the eyeshadow.

Continued on and blocked in all the major light sources for the rest of the body except for the black undershirt. Having the other elements in place is helping me
figure out what to do with the face.

C&C welcome, I know the armor is rough right now but I wanted to get the light sketched in.