I just finished this one today. It started like all of my other paintings in this series, just playing around with texture until I found the edge of something trying to come through.
It was a face, just a face with a distinct expression. Slowly I realized that it looked not unlike me, and to finish it, I was the most accessible model option. Using photo reference, I figured out the parts that didn't read well. The tricky thing is this portrait/expression realistically isn't possible. The gaping mouth really should expand the right side of the face more, and that wasn't what I wanted to convey. It's more of a cartoon version of a mouth drop where all the emphasis is on the elongation of the face.