Learning Adobe Illustrator CC

I purchased Adobe Illustrator last week, and have been spending many hours attempting to learn it.  It is just about as difficult to learn as Photoshop.  What I really want to do is to create vector art with it, drawing and painting portraits of people, especially famous people.

This week I have been following a five part YouTube tutorial, using Pamela Geller as my chosen subject.  She is a beautiful, well-known conservative woman, and that is why I picked her.  Certain parts of the portrait have been completed with pretty fair results, namely, the eyes and mouth and teeth.  I am not satisfied with the teeth yet, however.

Still to do:  the nose, the contours of the face, using the blend mode.  The great thing about attempting this portrait is that it forces me to learn to use the Illustrator graphic tools, and to research problems as they arise.  In other words, to build a skill set through dire necessity.

Illustrator can create graphic art that is photo realistic.  Take for example this Illustrator drawing I found on the web.  The lips could be better -- they look too dry.  The teeth, however, are amazingly lifelike.