"Contemplation" (DSFDF Portrait Swap), 5" x 4.5", Graphite on paper, 2009

Stealing precious holiday time in Tokyo, I managed to get one of the smallest portraits I've done till date. I never planned to do it this small. I was just doing my normal ritual of trying out a thumbnail of how I plan to compose the main piece and then I got stuck on the thumbnail. I noticed I could do all I wanted to express about this beautiful lady(unknown to me at present)on this small scale! It was a good time saver too, because I kept on wondering how I was going to do it on holiday but the small scale meant I could finish faster and keep my commitment to the challenge!



This is my entry into Karin Jurick's Different Strokes from Different Folks end of year challenge. It was the time for Portrait swapping again and after last years deal with James Parker and his frogs- this time I was given a precious young lady. I love bringing mood into my drawings and her face though not filled with striking drama had the feel of contemplation or some sudden gaze that had gotten her attention. I did my best to bring this to life from the picture reference I was given, hope she likes it....Funny enough she'll be drawing or painting me too- A very healthy way to share art and build creative artistic bonds.

I have used a rotring visupencil 0.7 on the beautiful paper in "The Urban Travellers Sketchbook" by Hush