Bette Davis was difficult to paint, not only because of the black and white choice, but also because her face had proportions that were extraordinary. And in the reference I used for this painting her face was back lit, which made for a real challenge when it came to painting her hair for one thing.

As always, the most important thing was to make her eyes clear and to capture the life in them. I really wanted her eyes to stand out in this painting since the light made her face a bit washed out. Or grey.
Progress pictures below.

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