I think this is the best way I learn. Taking my time to study from reference, analyzing why each line is whee it is, then immediately applying the study without looking at any references. 

1a is with reference, b is without reference. As you can see, this started out like shit. I think the main issue with my faces is that they’re too sharp, old habits from not studying and drawing tons of anime/manga dudes I guess. The eyes and jaw fuck everything up here. 

This went a bit better, still looks too strong/dudish. I recognized that I needed to take this slower. 

besides the fucked up eyes: neck is formless, eyebrows fucked up, an improvement but ugh.

Probably my most successful of the night. Eyes are still off, I like/hate the nose Face is probably still too long, cheeks and brows are too exaggerated. Gotta keep that in mind going forward . But progress, I suppose. ALl this is probably about 4-5 hours of work. I need to get more done. Tomorrow!

Sidenote: Construction/Draftsmanship is so important, wish I focused on that earlier.

Taking us all the way to the end of the preblog run. I’m focusing on faces now, I’m most comfortable with them but I can’t get them right. I’m fucking up on the eyes/jaw. Studies below, I started off with the right idea, study and then immediately trying to apply the study but then I wandered off.