A portrait in black and white

Painted Dec 19, 2022. 8x10 oil on primed paper.

I'm still trying out different approaches for these sketchbook pieces — this one started with a grid drawing, then I basically painted from darkest to lightest. Working in just black and white helps me focus on value, which can be difficult for me. I did run into some trouble with overworking, especially around the eyes, and kept ending up with too much paint in areas that needed to be adjusted further, but I think I got close enough in the end.