That’s what Winnie-the-Pooh said when he was posing as a little black raincloud, hovering over the honey-tree. However, I am not “tut-tutting” about rain, but rejoicing! It does mean that the light isn’t quite good enough for painting, so I finished up Oranges 38 (too long to write in Roman numerals!) in the waning light. I could paint oranges with half my eyes tied behind my back! Low light meant drawing instead of painting. The magnifying glass lamp makes it possible to draw in any conditions, provided it is black and white rather than color. I started on another portrait and had a few thoughts to share about drawing faces. If you draw faces and want them to look realistic and pleasing, there are some definite rules. 1. Use no lines at all, only blurs, fuzzes and smears. 2. NEVER have any outlines, only edges. 3. NEVER have any hard edges, only soft ones. As usual I learned this stuff the hard way (“Why does he look so much older in the drawing?” . . . hmmmm, better figure this out or not get paid!) I am redrawing someone who was made to look like the dictator of an evil empire in a previous drawing by another artist. It is imperative that I show his warmth, concern, and sense of humor in order to erase the image damage from the previous portrait, and I am thoroughly enjoying the challenge! These sorts of drawings always cause me to ponder the question of why laugh lines and wrinkles cause a man to become more handsome and a woman to freak out and start thinking about Botox. . . wasn’t the feminist movement in the 70s supposed to take care of that kind of baloney? Let’s hear it for inner beauty!! Here, contemplate these nice faces:
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