RECENTLY TOUCHED UP PIECES PT. 3: "QUETZAL EN LOS POROS"

As promised, I have "finished" my first oil painting since 3 or 4 years! This one was originally for an oil painting class--everyone had to do a portrait of someone. We were strongly encouraged to stay true and devoted to our photo references. I'll walk you through...
The sketch. I pretty much knew where I wanted to go with it from the start. If every project were this way...*sigh*
I simplified my sketch and transferred it onto my board and started to block in colors.

Adding in some more colors to my palette. I wanted to make it a limited palette but I was working with restrictions from the professor to stay true to references--also was told to get rid of the "abstract background" (indigenous pattern, but that's a wholllllleee other story...) as it was competing with the subject. I didn't mind that one so much.
Professor also had a problem with the orange she said it was too much and to use a dark--not to happy about that one but I did what I had to do.
This is what I handed in at the end. Sadly couldn't finish it. What kept my spirits up was that I had the break to finish it and make the changes I wanted to make. Don't mind my headphones at the bottom... :/
Worked on it for over a day and voila! I added my orange, worked on the fingers, incorporated some oranges in the "hair" and face and a little sparkle in the Quetzal's eye. I'm satisfied with the way it turned out. It did take a while to finish and sometimes wished I could take some more liberties with it-- but it was good to do something different from the way I usually work. I like the concept a lot and I might revisit it and take another stab at it in a different style. Pray for me to have time to do so!