Tha Veiled Virgin

A veiled head and shoulders set against a near-black ground. The face is pale, eyes closed, drawn down with muted purples and greys. A white drape falls across the chest and is pulled up over the head. The light sits on the brow and cheekbones. I kept the edges soft and let the dark background do most of the work. The veil and drape are laid in with loose, dragged strokes, the face built up more slowly to hold the form.