Hey! It's looking great! But some proportions are a bit off. I like to mark guidelines (either imaginary or drawn) to help measure proportions. For example, something I usually keep in mind is that the temple tends to align with the cheek; in your drawing, however, the cheek appears wider than the temple. On the other hand, the eyes in the reference are slightly tilted toward the left, while in your drawing, they are tilted slightly in the opposite direction. Also, notice that the mouth should be a bit wider. Regarding the eyes, you’re right about them being slightly squinted because the person is smiling. Keep in mind that when this happens, the lower eyelid usually becomes less curved and appears a bit straighter. Even so, the eyes in your drawing are still quite large, and that makes the rest of the facial features appear larger as well. The nose is also slightly misaligned (especially the lower part). Keep the center line of the face in mind so that the nose and lips stay properly aligned. Hope this helps!
