Self-Portrait Number 6 and 7- In Color and Black and White

After last week's disaster in trying to use color, I decided to draw the same photo in black and white.

I took a lot of time with the above photo and I just stopped today after taking a side by side photo comparison.

At this point, I took one more look at the uncolored drawing, erased a few jagged lines but decided to stop at this point because I felt I made some progress in giving some 3D and I got the slight unevenness of my face pretty well and I didn't want to ruin what I already had by making changes.

One thing I felt while working on the second drawing is a great love for myself for the face, working to get it right. So, if someone has a problem with self-love, this could be a good therapy. Especially in a case where I am working on a picture from 20 years ago.

But also I noticed when I am drawing another person, even if it doesn't work out as well as I like, I am loving the person while I am drawing. Which I don't know if it is like that for everyone who is trying to draw a face but it seems right to me. But maybe that is how you become an artist, it  isn't the skill of being able to draw but to love what you are drawing?