I started a series of preliminary sketches for a multi-layered portait I want to do of my 10y old grandson. I used paper I'd cut from a stack of brown grocery bags! Sized 15.5x19", I sketched the varied body positions in vine charcoal, then added white chalk and 3 tones of pastel - a sort of sanguine, prussian blue and a cream. I'm really thrilled with this result - In my attempt to stay loose, I didn't really go for a facial likeness but 2 of them do look like him... and I drew in the body positions, pants/legs and arms/hands from memory, trying to mimic the squirminess of a 10 year old boy. I intend to continue with a series of sketches like this - each trying to expand the space between loose abstract marks and hints of realism - to see how far I can stretch it. It's a very interresting space to work in.Also - the photos she took show the range of expressions and identities from what remains of young childhood to an imposed "super-cool" and confident teen identity. I'd love to capture that.
