[NEW REF] Self Portrait

[Chrispy]

A few firsts for me in here
First time making a progress GIF
First time making a portrait this large
First successful time dithering.
I'm just looking for anywhere that might need improvements or anything before I start posting this anywhere. I'm up for fixing just about anything. The main thing that bugs me is the shirt, but I don't know if there's something wrong with it or if I'm just crazy.
<-gif

<-Final Product

I still haven't decided whether or not I'm adding a background or making it transparent, so it's just white for now. I'll change it once I decide.
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Here's the most recent.
http://i45.tinypic.com/14l4u1j.png

[Chris2balls]

I like this, but:
the face is flat, the nose highlight and lip highlights need rethinking;
the work on the hair's great, but a tiny bit more contrast and hinting hair strands could make it better, and don't forget the crown or crowns in your hair;
neck and chin seem off, just like the shoulder, but you just need more practice with human anatomy.
where's the lightsource?
EDIT:
Can't wait to see progress on this!

[Chrispy]

Keep in mind, I'm only 15 so my face looks younger than what you posted. I know it's only a rough edit, but I'm just letting everyone else know. I'll be sure to post my changes as soon as I'm done.

[Chris2balls]

Yep, I know, just exagerating some traits.
I suggest you find a reference for the hair, my edit's pretty rubbish in that aspect.

[Photocopier]

Have you not got a reference? It's easier to critque if we know what you're aiming for

[Chrispy]

My only reference is myself, and the only picture I have of myself is a couple of years old. I don't own a camera of any sort that I could take a picture of myself with.
EDIT: I forgot about the school photos, so that's going to be the best reference for now.

My hair is obviously longer now, but it'll have to do.

[Jad]

You painted stuff in the wrong order, sorta. You added the facial features AFTER you did the hair, and thus the full shape of the head is omitted, and you fill in the facial features in the face space that's left, in places that look consistent with the facial area isolated, but not with the whole skull at large.

I'd say redo it and paint the face before you add hair. I think that alone would help lots.

[Chrispy]

<-Made several changes keeping Chris's tips in mind. I'm not about to go back and redo the face and hair at this point though.

[Helm]

It's strange because the expression and face are quite effective but the rendering is so so soft... I mean there are particular situations where photography can be low contrast like this sure, like soft flash but do you really want that? The effect I get is this is a school photo that goes in the yearbook and the person is scowling because he's not enjoying highschool. Like he's saying "I will do better things than this, just you wait" Is that impression of any use for you? Have you considered sharper volumes and directed light not face-on or something? I know these things mean reworking the rendering, but just as a thought to keep in mind, settle on what you want the portrait to mean before you render hair and stuff like that.

[Chrispy]

What you just explained pretty much describes me, so that would be what I'm going for, considering it's a portrait of me.