Monday, October 31, 2011

This is a test. Trying to turn a page into jpg from my book




Thursday, October 27, 2011

My Boy, "Boy with the Wind in His Hair" 6x6 oil

This is a painting that I did of Dylan Aycock... (check scissortailrecords.com to listen to his music)  Dylan is a musician who works in what I would describe as the ambient experimental genre.  I have done several paintings of him and willing to let a few of them go.  I really like this one.  I did it to demonstrate to my class a technique that I wanted them to become comfortable with.  Anyways It has a low start bid with no reserve on my ebay auction ( where I have hidden some real bargains this week) click here to bid

Monday, October 24, 2011

In the Garden

This is a painting I did in my adult oil painting class.  It was a demonstration in  the process of landscape painting.  I added myself in the garden as it isn't much fun to have a garden unless you can get out there and play in it !  I have this listed on auction this week at $125 ( it is 11x14 oil on canvas )  please jump in and place a bid ( or make me an offer I can't refuse :-)  To bid and visit my ebay gallery where I have lots of paintings on auction this week, Click Here.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

SOLD Dylan's Vintage Motorcycle, mixed media

This is a painting that I did in my college class to demonstrate using Photoshop to tweak a photo of an object or a person and then use the tweaked photo to work from to create a unique painting.  This painting is of my   son's vintage motorcycle.  I have it listed this week at $47 on ebay.  To bid on it click here  While you are there check out my other auction items and visit my online gallery.  If you would like to purchase one of my teaching videos, my full color book on oil painting or learn more about me and my work, you may do so here in my blog.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Citrus and Stripes

I told my students that we would be doing a simple study of citrus fruits.  They were all excited as they thought it would be easy ..... until... ( insert the theme from 'Jaws' here)  I brought out the stripes.  They won that battle but I put the striped cloth in mine anyways. 'cause it's just fun!  If you want to purchase this painting or visit my online ebay gallery ( check out my painting auctions this week ) you may click here
If you would like to read more about my work, purchase a teaching DVD or my new full color book on the oil painting process, Click here to visit my blog

Monday, September 19, 2011

SOLD My Secret Garden

Sometimes you need only go as far as your own back yard to find subject matter for your paining.  This painting was done when the roses were in full bloom and the cool shadows from the garage apartment stretched across my back yard.  The shadows only made the sunlit roses look brilliant.  Anyways here is the painting I did of my own little " Secret Garden."
To bid on this painting in my ebay auction today click here

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Golden Dusk 6x6 oil on canvas

When ever I have a big auction on ebay, I like to put a few surprises out there.  Apparently no one found a couple of my surprises yet as this one is priced at $15 to start w no reserve and there are no bids yet.  It is a 6x6 oil on canvas painted at the grounds at Gilcrease Museum at dusk.  There are a few other daily paintings at even lower starting bids.  See if you can find them. If you want to bid on this one and have access to my ebay gallery, click here  I have about 80 paintings on auction this week.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Queen Anne's Lace at the Foot Hills of the Blue Ridge Mountians 16x20

This is a painting that I did from sketches and photos taken during our trip to visit my sister in North Carolina this summer.  I actually did this as a demo for my adult painting class and included a more dramatic sky.  I have it listed on ebay this week.  If you wish to bid, click here to visit my ebay auction site where I have a lot of daily paintings on auction this week.  A lot of small 6x6 paintings that look great in groups.

Friday, September 02, 2011

SOLD Pretty in Pink 8x8 oil

I used to belong to a portrait group before I started my job as a painting teacher.  I loved the group.  We would hire a model, chip in $3 each and have a finished painting after 3 hours.  This painting started out as a 16x20 and got whittled down to this size as given only 3 hours to finish a portrait is one thing, but a figure, is a whole different ball game.  I had a pretty decent figure but it had some problems and obviously, I got tired of dealing with the problems and cropped it down to the place where there were no problems.  It is on my ebay auction this week for a mere $35 bid!  To bid, click here


Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Spring Creek, oil and sunblock on canvas

I tried to get a group together to go to the creek with me and ended up with just my husband and me ( he is that cute figure at the edge of the water )  We had all the makings of a relaxing afternoon; books to read, a fresh canvas, paints and mineral spirits.  I ended up knocking the spirits over and found that sunblock lotion does a pretty dang good job as a medium and brush cleaner:-)  This is a little 8x10 sketch that I did that day.  I will have it in my ebay gallery.  I have a ton of paintings on auction this week.  Feel free to check them out.  click here to go to my ebay gallery

Saturday, August 13, 2011

SOLD Finding Shells

One of my favorite subjects, sisters, families on the shore.  When I can't make it out to the coast, I still try to paint from my past vacations there.  This one is 8x8 oil on canvas and is on auction this week in my ebay gallery.  To bid on it, or check out my other auction paintings click here



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Iris series 6x6 each

This is one in my Iris series.  It is a 6x6 oil on stretched canvas.  I have a lot of daily paintings on ebay this week.  To bid on the  blue violet iris  click here



Tuesday, August 09, 2011

12x12 Citrus on Wrapped Canvas

One of my students brought a handful of lemons and limes to class the other day and I did a little 6x6 painting of them which lead to this.... a larger painting which is scheduled to head to OKC for a big annual fundraiser.  But first....... I decided to see if it would sell on ebay.  If you would like to bid on this before it heads to OKC for a much higher start bid... They require that all pieces start at $250.... check out the ebay auction where there is no reserve.  click here to visit my auction

Monday, August 08, 2011

The New Tulsa Sound at Living Arts this month $2400

Thanks to my involvement with this daily painting group, I have been in the practice of painting smaller paintings which served me well when asked to do a piece for the up coming "Oh Tulsa" Show at Living Arts In Tulsa OK.  This one is called " The New Tulsa Sound" and features many of the young musicians who are making a living in the music field in Tulsa.  Two of them are my sons, Jesse and Dylan Aycock ( Top and Bottom Left ) 
This is for sale right now as a whole piece through Living Arts for $2400.  If it doesn't sell as a whole, I am planning on selling individual paintings for $225 ea.
To see more of my work, click here to go to my ebay gallery http://midwest-fine-art.com



Wednesday, August 03, 2011

CITRUS 6x6 oil $120

It is way too hot to go outside so I decided to paint some COOL fruit.  I really enjoyed painting these and loved the outcome.  I tried some new techniques on the foreground and think I was successful.  This is on my ebay gallery .  To see this and other daily paintings on ebay click here  

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Yellow Field at Gilcrease Museum 6x6

I am posting a LOT of my little daily paintings on ebay this week.  This is one of them.  All of them are no reserve auctions and this one starts at only $15!  It was done on site at the Gilcrease Museum.  It is 6x6 oil on canvas.  If you want to place a bid and see the rest of my auctions on ebay click here  

Friday, July 22, 2011

French Convent

This is one of my new favorite paintings.  My best friends have a daughter who has lived for around 18 years at a convent in France.  They brought back beautiful pictures of the lavender fields and vineyards that are tended by the sisters there.  I have done several paintings from them.  This is my latest ones which I did as a demonstration for my adult oil painting class.  I have also recently put it on auction through ebay ( where it can also be purchased through my ebay gallery at full price if there are no bids on the auction )  If you would like to place a bid or visit my auction where I have a lot of small, affordable for anyone type paintings, and some higher priced ones as well, click here


Tuesday, July 19, 2011

SOLD Blond Girl in Black Top 8x10 oil

I just got the great news that I will be the featured artist, next summer, in the  Oklahoma State Capital Gallery.  To celebrate I am posting a lot of my larger paintings on my ebay auction along with some very very low priced studies in oil on canvas.  All are no reserve auctions.  I will be posting at least one painting each day for the next 3 days at .01 - $10. range.  This one begins at $28 so check it out and bid here


Saturday, July 09, 2011

Gilcrease Museum Family Days in the Fall

I will be helping Gilcrease Museum create some fun, family projects this fall.  Some of the programs will be on Saturdays ( held in the children's classroom just down from the gift shop )and others will be held on Sundays in the Vista Room.  The Mathews building, once finished, downtown, will house some of the events as well.  To be announced.  We will have a lot of free, fun, family activities just around the corner.  Check the museum schedule for times.  click here to visit the museum

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Margaret's Paintings to grace the State Capital's Gallery in 2012

I am proud and pleased to announce that I have been selected to show my work at the Oklahoma State Capital Bldg in the summer/fall of 2012. I am very excited about this opportunity and hope to have some wonderful new work featuring some of my favorite places and people in Oklahoma.

Looking for Shells 8x8 oil $100

Since I won't be getting as far east as the beach this year, I have to rely on paintings to take me there.  This is one of several little beach paintings on auction this week through my ebay gallery.  I also have a few $5 starting bid daily paintings on auction.  See if you can find them and get your bid in.  I never have a reserve on any of my auctions so high bid, even if that is $5, wins the painting.
To visit this particular painting click here

Thursday, May 26, 2011

New! Art Tiles


I just got hooked on a new thing and I love it!  I am creating art tiles out of jpgs of my paintings.  The tiles are vivid in color.  They are 6x8 and can be hung or they have a support in the back that allows placement on a table top.  I have them all in my ebay gallery

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

SOLD Hot Peppers starting bid $39

We like it hot around my house and my garden supplies lots of fodder for great little studies like this one. This little painting is one of about 15 daily paintings that I just listed on auction this week on ebay. This one has a very low starting bid ( w no reserve ) of $39. I have around 8 items starting at one penny so see if you can find them and get your bids in. The penny auctions are fun for me and I know they make it interesting for my buyers so have fun bidding. ( no reserve on those either )
To go to my ebay gallery click here

Saturday, May 14, 2011

SOLD Just for Fun

I had several new students who wanted to complete a painting in a day and several other students who were working on a still life.  Since I teach demonstration style I was getting a lot of exercise that day.  So here is the little painting that my new students worked from ( painted by me ) Just for fun, I posted this on ebay this week for one penny.  If you want to get a bid in, please join the fun and bid here
Please check out the other auctions that I have going this week.  There are about 25 of them I think.  This is the very best deal though.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

White Iris, 6x6 oil on canvas

I CAN'T PAINT FAST ENOUGH!!!!  My garden is in full bloom and I do mean full.  Everything that could possibly be in season has decided to bloom.  Irises with peonies with roses, primroses and more.  I don't know where to turn or what to paint.  They all came at once and now they are all disappearing at the same time.  :-(  I have listed several new little Iris paintings on ebay this week and put this one on auction ( along w the others ) If you would like to bid click here to go to my ebay gallery
To find out more about me and my work, or to order one of my teaching videos or my new book on oil painting ( w tons of color pics and great instruction ) click here to visit my blog.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Summer's End

I just finished this painting with my adult class.  I was teaching glazing and layering techniques to them.  I put her in the osage prairie in Oklahoma where I live.  She looked like summer to me and so I decided to give her a background that matched her hair which around these parts is a nice mix of the last greens mixed with mature ochre/orange grasses.  If you would like to see this painting or

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Upcoming workshops

I have two workshops coming up in the next couple of weeks
The first is at the Gilcrease Museum. Sign up is through the museum. It is a one day painting workshop where I will lead you through the process of painting the Oklahoma, Osage landscape. Class is Saturday, March 26th from 9:30 - 4:30. Bring a lunch or order from the restaurant there and we will enjoy the grounds w a picnic. The other workshop is in OKC and addresses selling your work online. It is also on a Saturday, April 2 from 1-4. There will be another speaker before me. Sign up for that workshop is through ovac... http://ovac-ok.org

SOLD Avacado

I just finished teaching a workshop at the Gilcrease Museum and in the process, demonstrated techniques that I use to paint my little 6x6 daily kitchen series paintings. It was a great way to teach students the process of oil painting that they can use to create larger still lifes or use it to paint more one object studies. They all enjoyed the fact that they would be taking home at least one finished oil painting that day. Many completed 3 of them. Anyways I just put this on ebay with a very low starting bid of $29 with no reserve. In my ebay gallery I price these at a buy it now price of $99 ea. You may bid on this and check out my other auctions by clicking this link http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180639837525&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Granny Smith

This is a painting that I just finished during my workshop this week at the Gilcrease Museum here in Tulsa.  We did several 'kitchen ' paintings that were inspired by my work with this daily painting group.  I put this one on ebay at a very low starting bid with no reserve.  To visit my ebay auction click here http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390297665113&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Red Apple 6x6 oil on canvas

This is one of several paintings that i completed this weekend after a Saturday workshop at the Gilcrease Museum.  I taught a little class for beginning oil painters using only one or two objects.  That way they could learn the process with out being overwhelmed .  It was a beautiful spring day and we all had a lot of fun and several of the participants ended up with 2 and 3 paintings.  I am glad I brought extra stuff!  I put all of them on ebay today at a very low start price and no reserve.  Check this one out through the link below.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180639836536&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

Friday, March 11, 2011

SOLD Testing the Waters, 8x10 oil on canvas

This is a little painting that I did after a larger, commissioned painting.  One of my students saw a photo of the larger piece and wanted me to teach the process.  The best way I know how to do that is by demonstration, thus the smaller beach scene... I have this one on auction this week through my ebay gallery.  To visit the auction and view several other pieces that made it to auction this week, click here 

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Osage Prairie 12x12 oil on canvas




I have never been to a casino, but I have snuck down the dirt road behind one to paint several beautiful landscapes featuring the Osage Prairie lands. This is one of them that I particularly like. In it are cedar trees that are the bane of Oklahoma farmers ( but I rather like them ) and sumac which was used by the native people for tea and flavoring. I make a great sumac lemonade. This and other paintings like it are featured in my ebay gallery. I have about 25 paintings that I have put on auction in the last couple of days. Feel free to check them out and as always, you are free to make an offer that I can't refuse on any paintings that are not on auction. To check out my ebay site click here to find out more about me and my work or to purchase one of my teaching DVDs or books you may want to visit my blog

Monday, March 07, 2011

Dylan's new Bike

My son bought this old motorcycle and fixed it up and got it running ( much to my dismay ) He took this great picture of it though and I played around with the photo on photoshop and painted it with acrylics and used markers for accent and to make it look a little more like a beefed up cartoon.  Anyways I just listed it in my ebay gallery for $250 but put on my auction at $125 minimum bid with no reserve.  To bid or to visit my ebay store click my link...Old Motorcycle on Ebay


Saturday, March 05, 2011

Petunias in the Sun 16x20 oil on canvas

I just finished this painting and thought I would post it here to brighten up your winter as it has brightened mine while painting it. I just put it on auction in my ebay gallery/auction site for those wishing to bid on it. I usually have a lot of my smaller, one item, daily paintings there as well. If there are none on auction, please feel free to make an offer. Here is a link to the ebay auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390294887355

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Nancy's Pets 6x6 oil on canvas SOLD!

My sister hired me to paint portraits of her best pals. These are the finished products. Thanks to the daily painting group, I was already in the habit of painting small and finishing in a day. These are the products of 4 days. To bid or purchase a painting of your own pet you may contact me or visit my online ebay gallery at http://midwest-fine-art.com where I also have several instructional DVDs and one full color instructional book for sale.

Friday, January 07, 2011

SOLD A Little White Cup $95

Over Christmas break I decided to do a little teaching video to advertise my workshop at the local museum that is coming up this spring. This is the one object painting that I did for the video. The painting can be purchased this week on ebay. click here to bid ebay where it is on auction w starting bid at $49 and no reserve.....and if you would like to watch the video you may do so on you tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLy5nQlqmkE

Monday, November 22, 2010

Another Macantosh painting w stripes


I just think these stripes look like Christmas. I have been having a lot of fun with this striped cloth and apples. This is one of several that I have on ebay this week. One of them has a very low reserve price. This one has no reserve if I remember correctly. To visit my ebay site and possibly bid on this piece or another one click here

Friday, November 19, 2010

Hot Cup 6x6 oil on canvas

This is one of several little "kitchen" paintings that I have been working on in preparation for small works shows and holiday giving.  I love doing them.... instant gratification !  This one is on auction this week on ebay with a low start price and no reserve.  Feel free to make a buy it now offer if there are no bids :-)  I also have a few w very low reserves and a penny starting price so check them out as well.  I am hoping some folks want to get creative with their gifts this year AND support the arts by supporting the artists.  To see and bid on this painting click here
To check out my blog... click here

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

SOLD 12x12 Macintosh on Red and White Striped Cloth $250

I just posted this 12x12 piece to my ebay gallery along with it's little sister, a 6x6 macintosh on stripes. I put both on auction and the smaller one's auction begins at .01 just for fun. It feels kinda Christmasy. To go to my ebay gallery, click here or visit my blog

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Watching the Gulls


I have been working on this little commission piece and I love the way it turned out.  I put the commission opportunity on auction on ebay last week and this person won the bid.  I put it out there again for this week but offer it any time for $99 for a 6x6 or 8x8 oil on stretched canvas.  I love working with people's family beach vacations as they were always my own favorite vacations.  Doing nothing all day but playing in the waves, hanging out w the family, watching the little kids play, walking the shore.... ahhhh... that's the life.  If you want your own little painting you may contact me through email ( artistswaygallery   at  yahoo   ) or through ebay.... http://midwest-fine-art.com  This can be a unique gift for a far away family member or just for yourself :-)
Want your own beach painting? you can buy it now for $99. just email me a pic or two to the above yahoo.com address.




Saturday, November 13, 2010

SOLD! Hot Cup of Coffee 6x6 oil on cavas

Hot Cup of Coffee daily painting 6x6 oil canvas Aycock.  Well it is that time of year again.  I am going small for holiday giving.  It seems like when ever I am painting this time of year, I always have a hot cup of coffee or tea near by and they often sneak into my paintings.  Want to bid on this painting?  visit my ebay gallery....http://midwest-fine-art.com

Friday, November 05, 2010

Prairie Road

Casinos are popping up everywhere in Oklahoma. I have never been to one but I have traveled down the little dirt road right next to the casino that goes off into the wilds of Oklahoma prairie land. There are a lot of dirt roads out in the prairies that provide a way for oil companies to go check their oil pumps that are plentiful out here. I got lucky this particular day. The landscape still held on to the greens of summer but allowed the red of sumac to enter the scene and the bane of allergy sufferers, beautiful golden rod.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

I am laid off from one of my very favorite jobs :-(

I got the phone call as I was walking in to go to work ( early ) . The person I answer to at the Arts and Humanities Council was very upset and very sorry but the hospital... Hillcrest ... has chosen to shut down the program due to $$ problems. I am sure they didn't give an ounce of thought to what they have and what they will miss out on. You can't buy this kind of marketing.... This is a program that costs next to nothing and yields huge benefits in patient satisfaction. It lowers depression, fear, speeds healing times and gives patients a general feeling of good will and warmth rather than cold poking, prodding, boredom, pain, worry etc that fills the rest of their days. I hear from sooooo many patients that this is the one thing they look forward to during their week at the hospital. It is one of the things that makes them inclined to recommend the hospital to others. I could go on but at least I got that off my chest. I guess I better get to my other love, painting :-)

A happy ending to this story.... I GOT MY JOB BACK! After a letter writing campaign from nurses, doctors, therapists and staff and of course, me.... I got called into the principal's office.... ok, not really the principal, the CEO's office.... just felt like going to the principals office. Anyways after a 20 minute conversation with him concerning the value of the program, I was reinstated!!! Cool huh?

SOLD! 6x6 Vineyard

My students asked me to demonstrate painting a landscape. Several wanted to know how I painted my Vineyard painting and so I demonstrated from that original, changed it up a bit and came up with this little 6x6. I stuck it on ebay today with a starting bid of $43 with no reserve. I have a ton of stuff on auction this week considering that I just got laid off from one of my very favorite jobs as facilitator for the Arts and Healing Program at Hillcrest Hospital.. Gotta ramp up painting sales to make up for the difference. Check out the auctions at http://midwest-fine-art.com
You will find a bunch of pretty little landscapes and a lot of one item kitchen paintings.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Bouguereau w an Oklahoma Twist

I teach oil painting to adults and every semester we pick a master to play around with.  Last semester it was a young girl painted by Bouguereau.  I teach demonstration style and so it is a great tool to have a photo of a beautiful face to work from when teaching the glazing process.  By trade, I paint more in the style of the post impressionists and you can probably see that influence in this painting as well.  I used the face as a jumping off point, added my new scarf, put her in an Oklahoma prairie and put a red ribbon in her hair.  I have several of these demonstration pieces in my ebay gallery and this piece is on auction this week ( soon to be over )  Check them out here... http://midwest-fine-art.com 
You may also visit my blog for more about me and my work or to purchase my teaching videos or my new book on oil painting.  http://margaretaycock.blogspot.com

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Peoney 6x6

Just listed this on auction w no reserve for $39 and free shipping through my ebay store http://midwest-fine-art.com/   I did a whole series of these earlier this season and somehow this one got lost in my studio.  Just found it and put it out there for bids ( at a very low price, I might add :-)  I will not be painting the peoney again until next spring.

Sunday, August 01, 2010

flaming red head









I usually work from life but during Tulsa's Mayfest celebration earlier this year I took several photos of street performers.  This young woman was a multi talented performer who played the violin and also juggled!   Due to Ebay's greatly reduced listing fees this week, I have this and about 80 of my other paintings on auction this week. See if you can locate other full figure paintings of this girl.  I have also listed 2 paintings with no reserve at under $10 just for fun.  Check out my ebay site at http://midwest-fine-art.com/  if you are interested in finding out more about my work, purchasing a teaching video or my new book on painting the still life in oil, you may do so at my blog at http://margaretaycock.com/

Saturday, July 31, 2010

My Shining City 8x10 oil $150

They tore out a lot of houses near my neighborhood in order to make way for the expansion of a near by university.  As luck would have it, that never happened and so we are left with beautiful grassy hills with lots of shade trees that is kept mowed by our city.  It provides me a wonderful place to paint with out having to go much further than my own back yard.  From there I once caught a beautiful glimpse of my city as billowing clouds filled the sky and the sun began to set.  This is the result.  I put it on my ebay auction this week along with a huge amount of my other paintings ( ebay had a great listing sale )  There are a lot of my daily paintings on the site along w larger works.  my ebay gallery is at http://midwest-fine-art.com/  Just for kicks, I put 2 paintings in my gallery on auction for under $10 with no reserve.  find them and bid for a great bargain!





Thursday, July 29, 2010

Gilcrease Workshop

gettting ready to teach the kiddies all next week at the Gilcrease. I am really looking forward to working with the teens. I love that age. Actually I love all the ages. We are going to be working on landscape, still life and portraits. Hope they can keep up with me :-)

SOLD My Secret Garden

This is my back yard in early summer.  I must admit, I painted this from a photograph as early summer is a battle between actually gardening and painting in the garden.  Thank heaven for cameras to capture what you can't get to.  I just posted this in my ebay auction site.This is on auction this week as I take advantage of ebay's great listing sale.   Almost everything else in my ebay gallery is on auction this week ( over 80 paintings )  See if you can find the 6x6 painting with the starting bid of $10. My ebay site.... http://midwest-fine-art.com/

Friday, June 18, 2010

SOLD! One in my Oklahoma Sky series

Out in Oklahoma we can all lay claim to some of the most beautiful skies in the world. This is one in a series of sky paintings that I am working on.  There are several of them on my ebay auction .  Feel free to go check them out here  I have started the auctions at $39 w no reserve or if you wish to buy it now, please make an offer of at least $80.  If you would like to check out my DVDs, my Book on oil painting, go to my etsy store 

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Notes for drawing the human head


Measuring the Human Head
Many artists use measuring of one form or another during the process of drawing or painting the human head.  We will begin with some of the basic measuring rules that exist in a majority of human heads.  Remember, each face is different and these rules need to be checked if you are trying to obtain a likeness
1.  The eyes are placed in the middle of the face (not to be confused with the middle of the head)
2.  The face can be divided into 3rds.  Chin to bottom of nose, nose to brow, brow to hairline.
3.  There is a distance of one eye between the eyes and enough room for almost a full eye on either side of the face from the outside edge of your eyes.
4.  If you dropped a line straight down from the inside corner of the eye, you would run into the outside edge of the nose.
5.  If you dropped a line straight down from the middle of the pupil, you would run into the outside edge of the lip.
6.  The hair on top and side of the face has bulk.  If you are drawing a portrait of a person with hair you will add at least the distance of one eye to the top and both sides of the face.
7.  You should draw the head life size or smaller as slightly larger than life may seem monstrous to the viewer.
8.  Life size of human face is aprox. The same size as the span of the human hand.

The Drawing Process

1.  Measure the span of your hand and put a mark at the top (forehead) and the bottom (chin)
2.  Divide the span into 3rds and mark the thirds
3.  Look at your model.  Are her brows at 1/3rd?  Is her nose at 1/3rd?  Adjust the mark to fit the model.
4.  Measure your model’s eye
5.  See how many times the model’s eye measurement fits into the space from the chin to the forehead. (Let’s say it is 6 times)
6.  Find a measurement that will go between your forehead and chin marks 6 times.  This is the size that the eye will be on your drawing.  Make a note of it on a straight piece of scrap paper.  You will use this measurement to measure everything on your drawing.  If your model is a photograph you will also mark on this paper the actual size of the eye from the photo.  (write the word photo next to one of the marks and drawing next to the other)  Working from life you will use the tip of your paintbrush and fingernail to mark the distance of the eye, always holding your arm straight without bending the elbow when measuring the actual model. 
7.  Using your eye measuring stick, mark the distance in eyes from the chin to the forehead.
8. Let’s say that you notice that your model’s eye is located 5 ½ eyes from the chin.  Count 5 ½ eyes up from the chin and place the mark for your first eye.  You know how big to make this eye as you have it on your measuring paper.  Now mark the other side of the first eye. 
9.  You are on your way.  You can now see where to put the 2nd eye by seeing how many eyes fit between your model’s two eyes.  You can see how far out from the eye does the side of the hair begin, how far out does the hair go?  How wide is the nose? How far up do I put the brow?
10.  You can also employ some of the tricks I talked about above such as checking to see if your model’s lips are directly under the pupil or a little less or more.  Does their nose span the distance between their eyes? 
11.  The trickiest thing is to not get the two marks on your measuring stick mixed up.  You will use “photo” measurement to only measure on the photo and “drawing” to only measure on the drawing.