Oops-- can’t edit the last post yet. 
This version is also beautiful, but there’s something about the finish that makes me think of china painting. There’s a certain look that you sometimes see in 1930’s oil portraiture. If this is what you want, then great, but I think that the earlier versions with just a little more roughness come out better.
Very beautiful! Would be nice if you’d have some specular/reflectorsin eyes. @cpurender has it :). Adds a lot to realism
My version was rendered in GIMP.
There are many cultures where one wears the wedding ring on one’s right hand (assuming that’s a wedding ring).
BTW, I was reading this thread because, of course, I very much admire your work here. Good job.
Hey i’m interested in the shapeway, you created the ring will it be polished ?, or just is it just as raw as plastic prints
If you search Shapeways for “Coral Entanglement” you get this: https://www.shapeways.com/product/ZPXJ8QX6S/coral-entanglement?optionId=61887524
I’m agog at the subtle beauty of this image!
As for this thread, IMHO I think there is too much emphasis in CG nowadays on photo-realistic. A classic portrait like this could easily represent a painter’s work. I saw the deep SSS as a sort of glow, the red-ness is fine since some people actually look that way. That last pic definitely shift the look into more of a painterly vibe, although the loss of detail in her face bothers be since the freckles are part of her (red-headed) beauty. (reminds me of those classic Jesus paintings I saw on so many walls)
I just tried out her position and find it unnatural, I don’t think this position ever happens in real life.
Masterpiece! I totally agree with shadowphile.
It’s kinda fun working with faces, here is my last contribution to this thread.
I started with this color for simplicity:
And then adapt the color from original image:
Yes, that’s exactly what I was thinking. The work of C. Bosseron Chambers comes to mind. “Light of the World” and “Immaculate Heart of Mary” are two good examples. It’s a very period-specific look, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but a lot of the detail in the skin does get lost. An example: http://grapefruitmoongallery.com/9752
Heh, it just occurred to me that if this had been painted by hand and hung in a gallery not very many people would be saying it’s ‘too red’. (ok, maybe philistines…no offense if you are one, but only you can say that, maybe carry a membership card. Um…what’s a philistine?) 
She is, however, wearing that engagement ring on her right hand, not her left.
I really try to avoid talking about politics and religion on art boards, so maybe somebody else could take this one… 
FIXED!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]499752[/ATTACH]
@NeverTilt: I had thought about it myself, so maybe you’re right, but I figured there’s not really that much light hitting her eyes directly, the eyes don’t have big hotspots near the center, in fact the hotspots would not be visible if the pupils were smaller, so I decided to leave them be, both because I think it’s correct enough and because of artistic freedom.
@bigbad. @Vonzaku @ArNavart @ender.saka: Thanks!
@cpurender: Nice soft light tones, a pitty her nose looks like micheal jacksons
@RealAnise: Honestly I have no clue as to what finger should be the correct one and sadly I was too lazy too do a quick online search. I remember asking my wife but she didn’t know either 
Anyways, the official reason is because the render was taken through the mirror, yep, 100 pro, hahahaha!
@cgstrive: Yeah, I also like the reflections there and as I explained it influenced my decision not to make her pupils smaller. I had actually thought about adding some lights exclusively to add hotspots to the eyes, but I’d have prefered to just use a different lighting alltogether. At that point I did not want to commit so such a big change anymore though. I’d much rather work on something new and apply it there.
@wellerankanto: I think it should be an engagement ring. Where would that usually be worn? Thank you!
@Razorblade: Cool, see dudecon’s link.
@dudecon: Thanks for posting the link!
@cpurender: I think many positions from photography don’t happen in real life and are not very natural or comfortable. I didn’t break one of her bones I assure you Also, nice variations, keep em coming.
@shadowphile: Well they wouldn’t write it on the wall next to the painting
I know. It was just a 20 minutes first approach, didn’t go into details like the second one.
But I’m done for now, daily work is calling.
Maybe she is Russian. People from Russia and other countries in the east where their wedding rings on their right hand instead of their left. The artist is from Switzerland so maybe that is the tradition there.
Okay, I finally googled it: In Switzerland you wear the engagement ring on the right hand, and the wedding ring on the left hand, so since it’s more of an engagement ring, it’s alright for her to wear it on her right hand.