New frames and paintings

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. I've been working on a "top secret" commission, lol! So painting lots, posting little.

These are two paintings I finished quite a while ago, but I was never quite happy with them. They are both on 12" x 16" panel and have been leaning backwards against my studio wall for quite some time. The African girl is fairly recent, but the Hula Girl is one I completed in Maui the winter before last. I couldn't ever put my finger on what was missing, but now I've figured it out! It was a frame! Opus had these great plein aire frames on sale so I bought a few, and they're just wonderful. Simple, but classy.

I couldn't get the greatest pics of either of them,  there's glare in some of the thicker areas, even though I shot them on an overcast day. The darks in the Hula girl are darker than they look, and the reflected light on the side of the African girl's face isn't that contrasty. I'm not sure how to correct this problem, as it happens a lot when I use thicker paint. I've heard about something called a polarizing gel, but can't seem to find where in Canada I can buy one.