13/01: LIFE IS LIKE A ROLLER COASTER

Life is like a roller coaster at the moment.   I'm trying to be more time efficient and organised but life keeps getting in the way ... not always a bad thing but here I am explaining why I haven't yet done what I said I'd do last week!

I have actually finished two cp works and they will be submitted to UKCPS tonight so I can't worry any more about them or tweak them any more.

I've decided on the crop for the gorilla and I've done my final tweaking.  This will now fit a standard 16" x 20" mount/frame so I won't have to have a frame specially made hopefully (assuming the picture makes it past the jury)

and Lulu is my other entry - I won't post another picture of her, I'm sure you're fed up with her by now LOL

I've been working on a graphite portrait which has been commissioned as a birthday present.  Early days yet but I think I'm at a stage where I can send the first update to my client without scaring her too much .... you know how these portraits have to go through what I always call the 'ugly stage' before they begin to take shape.

I have lots of fine detail to add to face/hair yet but I needed to start on the jacket (and perhaps the dark coloured chair) so I can work out the tonal values for his skin and hair - Its been a while since I worked in graphite and I'm enjoying not having to worry about colour, just lights and darks ...

This is a poor photo as I had to use flash tonight.  I'll get a better photo tomorrow morning to send to my client.    This isn't a surprise as the recipient has requested the portrait as a birthday present but I still need to get the OK to show more WIP pics here .... 

I had hoped to be further advanced on the portrait but had to take my Mum to hospital on Saturday.  She is a chronic asthmatic and has COPD.   When we visited her on Saturday she was having problems breathing and was in pain ... her GP doesn't work weekends (most practices in England don't open over the weekends it seems) so we took her to hospital where she was given oxygen, nebuliser treatments, had an ECG and lots of blood tests (including the horrible painful ones from the arteries in the wrists).  Thankfully they improved her breathing and she was allowed to go home loaded up with drugs to be taken over the next week.    That took care of our Saturday.

Yesterday I was planning to work at the drawing board all afternoon but we had a surprise visit from friends which is always nice of course.   Once the wine was opened that was it!!   I never drink and draw

I did manage a few more hours on the picture today and I hope (I won't say plan) to get a lot more done tomorrow.   Plans just go awry so I'll stick to 'hope'.    We do have one of the kitchen fitters visiting for the second time tomorrow to go through some details but I hope that David will deal with him and leave me out of it ....