Newest WIP

I like the ghostly quality to her eyes, but I'm at a loss as to how to finish this piece. I hope that if I put it away for a while I can bring something else to it later that will work.
I'm feeling a little... stuck when it comes to my paintings. I treat my canvas like they are precious, like I have to paint a masterpiece on each canvas or I can't use them. I doubt I will break myself of this any time soon, so instead I am trying to loosen up on other materials. I painted this piece on some sketch paper that I primed with gesso. After about 3 coats it was pretty sturdy, I used acrylics (artist quality and crafter quality. It seems it isn't just canvas that I have a problem with) micas, golden heavy gel, and my much-loved Karat Liqua paints. (which are hard to find now)
To quote from this article:

Nontoxic, light-fast, water-soluble, Karat Liqua Paints from STAEDTLER[R], INC. are liquid wax paints, containing a mixture of beeswax, water and safe color pigments that allow for easy water cleanup. When applied liberally, the paints may be sculpted, carved or polished. The highly opaque colors may be rendered full-strength or blended with water for a transparent watercolor effect. After drying, Karat Liqua Paint may be dissolved with water for additional blending, or fixed for permanency. The paints may be used with a variety of surfaces including watercolor paper, canvas, wood, plaster, metal, glass and decorative fabrics.

They are water soluable liquid wax, they come in vibrant colors and paint beautifully, like a cross between watercolor and fluid acrylics and they are my favorite paints to use. I've had the same set of 12 for... uhm... like 10 years now.
Some days I think I should just pick up some crayolas and construction paper so I don't hold myself back thinking I am going to mess up a canvas, or use too much of my favorite paint.

My painting style involves using lots of translucent washes and building up layers upon layers upon layers of paint. In this piece you can get that feel from both the skin of the girl and from the background. I use a lot of mica powders in my paintings too, but they obviously do no scan or photograph well, I'm a sucker for metallic and sparkley. Now that entire field of blue/green seems too large. Plus, I just want to keep adding paint and layers to things so I never feel finished, then you run the risk of overdoing a painting and losing all those other layers to worked so hard on.

Overthinking a painting is also a bad bad bad habit of mine.