DoUBLE

This picture is already annoying me. 
It is merely a facade that does or doesn't reflect who I am inside.

I drew this (rather than continue the series I was working on) because it's from life (and I am the only human here right now) because I read today that you should draw from life in order to synthesise all the information without losing the essence, as you can using photo reference. (Though I wonder if a camera-mirror does that too or if because it's a live image it counts as life?) Is it the spirit or is it just about two or three dimensions? I was reading about some artists I like, not least of which was Sempe. 

The other thing about self portraits - someone said the other day that 'artists are all vain'. Though if you spend your life drawing things, focused a lot if not completely on what you see, then of course you become aware of appearances not necessarily enamoured of them.  Steve Rude the other day got really animated when relaying how he finds analytical or meaning laden approaches to art and drawing irritating. But I can't understand how an artist can want to make art devoid of meaning or depth. I get what he means in a way, as in you just have to draw what's there and draw it well, but to completely reject the invisible in art is a mistake to my mind at least.