Originally Posted by JustJess

I would fall in the critic/eunuch class, so take it as you will... the only thing I noticed in particular was the perspective on her face. If you're going for a realistic look, it seems that her facial shape is a bit squooshed - but then again, I didn't see the model, either.
Either way... don't be too hard on yourself - millions of people like myself can't do half of that!

Originally Posted by la petite moi

I like her terse expression!

However, as I'm sure you know, the nose needs to be appropriately shaded, or else it looks very 2-D. Also, maybe even out the darkness between each eye!

The best thing to do when you are drawing is not sketch. When you sketch, it gives the lines a hard, jagged feel to them. Try letting your hand flow while drawing your portrait. She is a woman, after all, and should have a moving flow to her.

Also, don't "colour in" the shadowing. It looks completely unreal. Try using the side of your pencil to shade in nicely. Also, I noticed with the earrings that they are side by side. In real life, that wouldn't occur. Instead, one should be a little higher than the other, I would say.

And, as a beginner, you don't have to get different pencils. Trust me, I have many "realistic" drawings that I have done that turned out very beautiful- and I used a mechanical pencil or a #2.

I musy say, though, I love her mouth.