Lucy portrait stage 4 - work in progress

I was running around this Saturday morning like a headless chicken! I need to be doing something.. idle hands and all that. I kept running past my Lucy's portrait and looked for all the excuses in the world to avoid touching it any more. It had reached the stage that I always reach - I hate it. Just another one of those barriers that I usually reach when painting. I could not find anything else to do - either tidy my study or cook an English beef pie... I was running out of distractions - I had to do some more of her portrait. Acrylics just weren't doing anything for her. Too frustrating. I had to change medium. So, out with the oil pastels. Then I could begin to get the depth of colour I desired. OK, so some more on her portrait - at least an hour... then I will probably give up until tomorrow! Lucy is eating well, by the way, but is still not out of the woods - another trip to the Vet later.
Anyway - here she is so far... as much as I could manage today. Eyes, nose and everything else still needs much much work. I think I will have a cold beer now and continue to walk past her portrait for the rest of today, letting my objectivity wash over me. The problem with working from a photo whilst having the subject with you is you can never be satisfied... you have to absorb yourself into the subject and know the character. At least I did some more work on her today. I have to admit - oil pastels are more comfortable for me now and allow me to really get into her character.