Graphite Pencil Portrait of Client's Girlfriend

Here is the final portrait

In the sketch stage:
This is a commissioned drawing which will be a gift from the boyfriend to the girlfriend in the portrait.

The basic sketch on 14"x17" Strathmore Smooth Bristol paper on my drawing board. I have a drafting table, but I really like these drawing boards - they're like the regular clipboards you're probably familiar with, but these are really large.

I was 99.7% done at this point - just needed to bring out more of the light areas. I also needed to adjust the eye on the left (her right eye).

I chose to not strongly define the stripes on the lady's top - the color of the edge of the shirt's opening was much darker - but I felt that if I made that tone too dark, it would become a distraction from the lady's face and beautiful eyes.