Well, I can’t really show you the evolution of this painting per se…but what I can share with you is the image that I first had in my mind and what the end product was. This is the sketch straight out of my sketch book (makes sense…my sketch outta my sketch book… haha okay a wee bit too geeky)

When I first started out sketching my drawing, I knew what I wanted. Well, I sort of knew. I knew that I wanted a hand in there somewhere…holding something. And the basis of the hand holding the “circle” or the “moon” with the mother and child came from the person who had asked me to paint the picture for them. You can check out the documentary site HERE.

(measurements: approx 5x8in)

It took about 12-15 sheets of sketching paper to finally come out with the final drawing/sketch. I used ink in the beginning of my sketches because that is what I like. I like to use ink/pen because I like to sketch an entire picture/image without lifting the source of ink or the pen off the page–I can do that more easily with ink than with lead (as the lead will smudge…ink smudges too but not as bad as lead). Also with ink, even if I make a mistake I just literally make that mistake part of the sketch or just as easily “scribble” over the mistake (the scribble usually ends up being a part of a shadow or another object…)

I used to have a hard time when I was younger with my artwork. I never really thought I was all that great to begin with. I never really showed anyone my art work. I did however end up taking art courses all the way to Grade 12. (I was even voted most artistic in Grade 10). I knew then people were actually paying attention to my work. I just continued to do what I liked to do and that was make art. The more I did it, the more comfortable I became. Also, I began to notice that the mistakes I made…nobody ever really noticed…not even if I pointed them out.

So I painted many portraits. My models for some of my early paintings came from advertisements in magazines or barbie dolls. Today, I can sketch an entire image from my own imagery … mind you it takes about 15-20 tries before I get what it is exactly I want but that is what art is: trying things out and even if it doesn’t work the way you wanted it to, use it anyways.

The end product turns out to be this… (measurements: approx 2x3ft)

You can see that not all the original details that I wanted to use in the sketch are actually in the painting. And like I said, even though it didn’t turn out how I originally planned, I just went with it.

I am definitely motivated to make some more art work.