Foundation II Self Portrait

This was my final project for Foundation II Drawing.  I was hoping it would resemble me, but my grandson Lucas, (2 years old) said "no,"  when I asked him, "Is this Nana?" I drew this portrait while holding a mirror-looking into it,  this method is more challenging, than to draw from a photo.  It is water color with pen and ink.  The assignment was to have at least two medium.  I sketched first in pencil in, then I applied ink over the pencil lines- The ink was allowed to dry.  Next I painted with water color paints.  A challenge encountered was the that the hot press illustration board would pill when worked too much.

My professor Barron gave me a run down of what was a wrong.  (my professors are outright honest, no silly ego stroking)  The eye on the left of the face, as you face it- It's inner canthus is too stretched-and the eye needs to be over more, toward the nose.  The other eye, does not have enough of the upper lid..  There also could have been more values to the blue sweater.  I fixed a major flaw, which was the jaw line.  The jaw line had a notch, (in the area where the chin blends to the jaw).  On first submission Barron directed me with authority(see other blog)- on how to create a leading line with shadow to direct the viewer to me, the subject.  The shadows are incorporated into the rose bush to create this line.

Many have told me that  in real life I am much better looking than this portrait.  My daughter-in-law (Pratt Art Grad) comforted me with the agreement of how difficult self portraits are.

Someone said the expression looked suspicious.  I am not feeling suspicious!

This is a second attempt of this same pose and background scene. Here is the first attempt:

I might just work on it some more!