@ben- Umm I didn't mean it to sound rude I just putting my words in a way I use everyday. I forget outside of Australia our speech is oft considered crude. I really just wanted to point the fact out that females don't WANT to see a perfect likeness, the want to see themselves so much more pretty. Only trying to point out that evil eyes looked older. Most women (at least that I've met) do not wish to be reminded of their age.
Hey, I'm Australian! And... it is crude.
I don't agree with this notion of females wanting personal delusions as presents. I have female friends that would scream bloody murder over such a suggestion. But I do understand that the culture we live in does instill this mindset on some women. But even if she
did want to be lied to, do you think it's an act of love to oblige her? I think it's cruel, and not befitting of a gift. Just a personal observation.
I started an edit of the first piece before EvilEye came and posted his, which really nails everything I was hoping to say. Nose and cheekbone, various planes around the mouth, destroy the black lines, draw the whole neck.
You also have numerous colours that are redundant in your palette. Try merging similar ones together and cut down what you have to work with. Less is more, in this circumstance.
Your second piece seems to tell more of your workflow with these. It seems like you're analysing values on the reference as you go around the picture and laying them down in similar shapes to how they appear. This is vulnerable to error/misjudgement. You can work faster, and more robustly by simplifying the subject with basic 3d forms (cubes, spheres, cylinders, etc) and breaking surfaces down into simpler planes. You're on a deadline though (christmas?), so it might not be really possible to start trying to take that up now. Still, something to keep in mind. Regardless, be aware some of it is approaching pillow-shading in appearance (2nd piece, forehead, cheeks, under the eyes). The references have very homogeneous lighting, making it hard to use the process you appear to be using.
Be much more careful with the shapes of the eyes and mouths. They're very strong identifying features that can easily put a portrait off.
Hair in the second is extremely thick and dense. Unless it's largely unworked as of yet? Analyse it more carefully (I'm referring to the facial hair, as well).
