Owtin portrait

Charcoal on paper
about 60 by 100 cm

This is a 25 minute sketch of Owtin, from a portrait class I'm taking at the International Art Club of the Hague. This sketch has the benefit of input from Pien Hazenburg, the docent. What I learned from this portrait class is that the tiniest details matter in a portrait, or the whole thing falls apart. In this portrait, the lessons have gelled and finally everything clicks- at least for this class.

You've got to use gesture (no problem for me) and be bold (again, no problem there) but you've also got to really focus on the exact line placement in every part of the drawing - not just get it close (for me, this has always been the problem with portraits). So, the lesson learned is this: when most everything is blocked in, step back from the drawing, compare by observing closely, and make minute adjustments, and the whole thing just might come together.

I had to choose which of the four portraits to use for the work of the week, but the whole series was fun, and you can see it on my blog (http://hagenoffindenhaag.blogspot.com/)