Progress of a painting: Part II

The final stage & finished portrait. And the original photograph

The last post shows how I start a painting. I'm not saying it's the best way, it's just how I like to work. I don't draw first because for me, the painting develops in a more convincing way when I go straight into painting. In stage 4 here, I fixed the squashed head look I ended up with in stage 3. Then, when the proportions were as good as I could get, I concentrated on fur detail (I love painting fur!), lighting and the background. Some paintings are quicker, but some can take 6 or more stages, depending on the size of the work and it's complexity. That's it. Three and a half months work in a nutshell! 
See the finished painting here.