VACATION IS OVER; TIME TO PAINT!

I am both happy and sad to say that our vacations are over for this summer! I saw a quote just the other day that sums it up quite well:

"Don't cry that it's over; smile that it happened!" Dr. Seuss

I am smiling at all the adventures of our trip to Spain, as well as our more recent glamping trip in the Ucluelet and Tofino area of Vancouver Island. (For those of you who don't know what the term "glamping" means, it is glamorous camping - in a YURT!) I will be posting pictures over the next several weeks of the highlights of our trips, but for today, I am showing you a charcoal portrait from the drawing stage to the finished piece. (And yes, I am back into the studio as of this afternoon...working on some special things!)

I did this drawing in the spring of last year - just before we moved. This is one of the portraits of 5 grandchildren that I did for some friends of ours in Calgary.   Each of the pieces is now hanging side by side in their home, and will one day be handed down to each of the children. 

It is SUCH a thrill to see the painting come alive as I work on the facial features! It is at that point that I get excited for how the work is progressing. :-) So here are the stages that most of my charcoal portraits go through, from beginning to end.

9" x 12"
charcoal on Canford paper