Keeping Face

So I have this love (obesession rather) with faces. I can stop painting them. There is just something about the face that gets me excited with the paintbrush. Essentially that is all. When i approach the artwork, i just can't wait to get in there and map out the face. I leave the eyes last, for they are my favourite. I work from life, I get my friends ( lovely creatures that they are) to sit for me. I usually let them sit for 20 min intervals, lasting between an hour and 40 minutes. I go in strong, blocking out shadow, then work up the tones to capture the depth. I work alla prima ( which is wet oil paint on wet.) in other words i don't wait for layers to dry. I'm just too impatient that way. So really I capture a brief snippet or glimpse of the moment of the person in front, I try to capture their essence... knowing all the while the connection we both share. The gaze, of me objectively looking and them holding my gaze or knowing it's there.
I just thought I'd share that with you. Now to figure out a series that will be ok for my endof semester showing... (wish me luck)