The first step in painting a portrait is to sketch the basic outline of the face and features. I do this with any pencil on a pre-prepared background (applying a few splashes of random color to cover most of the area) before moving on to painting. I then apply layers of color, starting with the model's background and then moving on to more detailed aspects of the portrait, such as facial features, hair etc. Once the painting is complete, I transfer the image to Photoshop to make any corrections or adjustments. This may include removing imperfections or correcting color and contrast.
In Photoshop, I can use various tools such as the clone stamp, healing brush and dodge and burn to make the necessary changes to the image. Once the retouching is complete, I usually color correct the entire image, adjusting contrast and brightness and adding some artificial noise - and I'm done.
Nice job! the hair is very realistic