Portrait paintings

Hi Everybody
Thank you to everyone who is kind enough to follow my blog and leave a comment, your comments mean a lot to me.
Today I am thinking about portraits... why do so many artists find them hard to master or do?
The face for a start is a very small area full of features forms and shapes ... you have to get the proportions exactly right so your portrait looks believable not to mention likeness ... then you have to get the perspective right, then each feature has to be perfectly rendered and placed.. Oh and the posture! te model has to look relaxed and natural. We are still at the drawing stage so far ... after you get the drawing to look really good you can  start painting.
While paining you have to consider skin tones, values, shapes, and shadows,and to top it all off you get to breath life into it ... still think its hard???
I know many skilled and renowned artists who cannot do the figure/ face the same like they do still life or animal portraits or lanscapes.
I guess it needs years of practice,  and of course sketching everywhere you go, and painting everyday to get there...
I usually get inspiration from many portrait artists and each time I marvel at the standard of their skill.
I can never gire of looking and feeling inspired by TedNutall´s work. Take a look.
http://www.tednuttall.com/paintings%20page%201.html