Fine work, Grace, from locating the image and its proportions during the schematic to your very fine touch, emulating Degas’—very much what I was hoping this exercise could offer.
A few notes:
You’ll note that Degas’ model has a more inward expression, like she’s lost in thought, while yours feels very attentive to us and engaged. It’s because his upper lids are lowered just a scintilla more, eclipsing more of the irises, which are also slightly larger in his.
Her eyebrows are not the continuous arched curves that you show, but rise from the center outward on a straight axis (the darker portion) before bending downward more abruptly, and at a slight angle as they also become lighter in value (they’re turning back onto the side of the head).
The shadow on the bridge of the nose isn’t quite as dark, and curves slightly. The upper bridge of her nose, just below the brow, is also narrower.
Good work on the hair, but still a tendency to add a lot of hair-like lines. Note there are very few in the original—mainly diagonal hatching to establish a value, and then a few select hairs.
The shadow on her hair band is too dark and defined. It wants to frame her face and add volume (as a cross-contour line) but not draw too much attention to itself.
Great job keeping all of your edges soft and your touch light. Wonderful to see.
Well done, Grace—I commend your patient attention and sensitive interpretation.
I think this is a really good copy of the original. You’ve managed to mimic Degas’ bottom left-top right value style really well, although yours is a little steeper, which is a nice reminder that this is your own work. I also think you’ve captured the facial features really well, nothing looks disproportionate or out of place. I think the shading is pretty strong too. In the Degas, the shading is darkest at the top right point of the neck, and I think you noticed this. My only critique is that your version loses a few of the subtle nuances of the value around the lips and eyebrows. Degas’ version of eyebrows are a little more understated and there’s some more value around them to convey the contours of the face. Other than that, I think this looks almost identical and does a really good job of presenting a large scale of values even though it’s lightly and delicately drawn.