You may need to become a trisexual.
That means loving the painting for itself too. If you use a photograph to help yourself get the colors and shadows accurate the painting may have shadows that are blacker than real life and light shining on the person much brighter than real life. That’s okay if you like the result but the reason I state that is to make it clear that the painting can take on a life of it’s own. It doesn’t need to be a replication of her unless she hired you to do a portrait.
If something starts to work in the painting that you like, go with it.
You may want to do a small painting of a finger for example to learn what works and what doesn’t. Also, if ya can’t take a class, get a library book on oils, they are more difficult to learn to use then acrylic paints are, acryilics involve less toxic materials too.
Below is my attempt at a nude decades ago. Evidently I don’t see all women as soft and curvy. You can tell I didn’t use a photograph because the shaded areas are not very dark and the lighted areas are not very bright. My guess is I painted it by imagination.
P.S. If ya keep your head back you will keep a better perspective of the way other people will see the painting, although thats less fun.
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