There actually is,
a good use for drawing simplified models.

Where you draw a face model on your source image,
mark all the distances, and make all the relative measurements.

And then repaint the super-simplified model again,
but this time on your empty canvas.

This technique also works for the body,
there you will mark knees and joints and shoulders.

And again repaint the model you drew over the photo,
on a blank canvas.

If all you have is a photo,
canvas and traditional brushes.

Turn your photo into a line-reference model,
and draw the same geometric contraption on your canvas to get started.

If I ever had a portrait pained of me,
I would ask the artist not to do that.

I would like them to use their good judgment on a silly and fascinating warp transform,
and then use that as use direct reference.

Slightly warped or not, I would like to see my real face not something that is a try,
I want them to get it right, and have fun while painting.

And why would I want them to draw little line models, first,
that will only cause unnecessary distortion.

We can't forget that a proper or perfect likeness,
is a small potato in relation to all the other things that should be going on in the painting.

An artist may already begin by taking over the eyes,
and making them glow.

Then move on to a Suit of Armor,
and weapons, a battle, a star ship, mars, wings, something... something interesting.

Though I am not sure if I would ever request a portrait,
I like things that I create on my own.

Portraits are special because Lady with an Ermine,
was the first work of art that I understood as such, wham I was little.

But I think I am a fan of big scenes,
and painting those has also benefited from modern technologies.

3D Modeling,
is a wonderful way to map out a complex scene.

I would really enjoy building a world,
with architecture and characters, maybe a fancy monster, or a dragon, up close.

All the while tracking the one angle,
that I would paint this world from.

A 3D printed world is a neat companion for a painting,
that displays all the action and emotion.