Racing start one - step IV... getting there slowly... like a racing turtle!

One more pass will allow me to enhance contrasts further and to try to make some sense out of the props at the bottom, i.e., making them recede or disappear so that the figure comes out even more. Further work on the background will be necessary to make it a little warmer and to introduce more textural effects.


Note to self: "Backgrounds are still a challenge for me since the moment I start thinking is the moment they become predictable and uninteresting. Next time I won't think!"