Painting practice.
Awesome use of making a focal point with use of highlights, strong vs. soft edges to imply a depth of field and thickness to the environment. Painting from black is a smart way to sculpt your forms and selectively choose your details. Also like the subtle indication of his shoulder on the bottom right. S'nice touch.
Thank you very much. I actually had a little help with it, a friend gave me some feedback on a few prior versions. It took me a few tries to get his eye and brow area to a satisfactory level. I'm glad you like it. <3
A little help never hurts at all. Mind if I take a swing and guess it was Fabercastel who offered up the tidbits? If not, sorry for making an ass out of myself! I can tell you worked back and forth between the eye and the cheek bones from the indications that you almost carved out the forms by painting it back and forth, building it up slowly. It must've been brutal, but it's totally worth the outcome.
Brutal is definitely the word :] But it was Capreolus who offered up some help. We spent a short while talking some months ago. This was kind of a gesture towards his art, or more specifically, a piece of art he did entitled sacrifice_050, you can find it here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1157264/. I always loved that genius stroke of orange just on the eyelid, and attempted to emulate it with green here.
Link
Maaia
Wow, very realistic! Nice values.