Fighting Your Comfort Zone

and it isn't easy. 



I wanted her hair to look like a nest, the brushstrokes visible, and the bird more of a suggestion of one rather than try and render it realistically.The whole time I was doing this I wanted to slip back into my comfort of  blending and trying to get a realistic face.

Not sure what to think of it, although I really like the bird. I do like the loose brushstrokes, but I'm