Person Portrait!

A Portrait     pastel      12" x 14"

I am reasonably smug about results!   It's the first that I've had the guts to post.   A friend of a friend and, sorry, I cannot remember her name.    No drawn outline, just went in with color.   No work of art but at least it looks like the subject - a bit!   And of course that's the photo.

In pursuit of doing portraits, my attempts to date have included numerous of myself and another friend.   Masses of them, and all missed the mark by a mile.   Perhaps because the faces were TOO familiar?

Enjoy!

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This Day's Daubs

 "The Boy from the Souq"     pastel      6" x 10"

Above...he's the boy on the right in Muscat Souq posted Feb 7th.  Better but still too small to capture facial details.   Next stop - larger on sanded.

Below...continuing challenge, or fiasco!   Winding river in Wyoming canyon.  

"That River"            pastel          8" x 10"

Enjoy!

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Sketchbook

Today & Before       Pastel/Color pencil         sizes various

Clockwise from top left:  Jenny - Boy - Unknown Pooch - Jenny pretending to be a plate

The boy is from about 10 days ago when I was working on the Suq in Muscat, the other 3 are from today.   Lots of photographs too of Jenny with legs all twisted up.   May choose one of those for tomorrow.

Enjoy

Off the Beaten Track

"Souq, Muscat ca. 1960"     pastel     8" x 10"

My father took the photo, I sketched it today.    Always been fascinated by it - so narrative:  in the dark centre, two men looking at my father and grinning; the boy leaning against the wall with the serenest of smiles; and the orange turbanned men who are, I'm sure, the boy's uncles.  Anyway they're clearly enjoying a very amusing conversation. (And if you can't see that from above, look at photo below)

Rifles were an essential prop for the young bloods.   And the reason I suspect boy is nephew of orange turbans is that he's bullets in his belt.   The boy's wand suggests he had a camel, or a donkey or some goats around the corner.  I say camel, the BMW of Oman at that time.

I've loved this photo for 52 years and always wanted to paint or sketch it.  It's so Rembrandt!   I did it way too small thus wickedly diff to capture facial expressions, or any detail come to that.

What pleased me most?  Hard to say.   #1-I DID IT!   #2-Perhaps the boy's feet.

The Photo - a broader scene, I tightened it up in mine.