he head is the most time consuming element of the body to draw, sculpt or paint, because it is made up of so many parts and the shape, proportion and locational relationship of these parts to one another, not only determine if the head looks real, but also whether or not a likeness is achieved.
 
Hands and feet would be the next most time consuming to create, taking just about as much time as the head. This is why a portrait that includes the hands is more expensive to commission than just the head alone.
 
I paint a large number of portraits. Not all are commissions. I belong to a group of local artists (Yosemite Western Artists) that get together each week and hire a model to pose live, from which we can work. Not all of these portraits sees completion, but when I have time, I pick out a start with potential to complete. Some of my favorites, executed in oils, watercolors, pastels or on a digital tablet are presented below.