05/05: ADRENALINE IS KICKING IN .... AT LAST

After 3+ weeks away there is so much that needs to be dealt with quickly at home but we just didn't really feel motivated .. you know how it is when you return from holiday ...

Today we had to do a trial run to collect Grand-daughter from Play School in case we have to do it for real when our daughter goes into labour with Grand-daughter II (due 20th of this month) so that took up all afternoon but was necessary as the staff at the nursery needed to be sure we're 'responsible' adults.

Tomorrow we'll be in London for the UKCPS International Exhibition to deliver my one picture that got juried in and sort out the snacks/soft drinks for the Private View in the evening.   Its going to be a very long day for us.       We'll be back at the Gallery on Friday (I'm demonstrating coloured pencils and David is stewarding) and Saturday when we're both stewarding ... we're not used to commuting so will be ready for another holiday after this week methinks.

I've never demonstrated at an exhibition like this before so I decided to use a photograph of Steve Lipner who is British but has lived on Fuerteventura for many years and  runs a secondhand 'household goods' business and does lots of charity work - often donating items from his shop to families who have fallen on hard times.  We spend around 4 months a year on Fuerteventura (Canary Island) and lots of my portrait models are photograhed here.     I think Steve has a very interesting 'lived in' face.   I took his photo in our house on a day when he was very relaxed, hadn't shaved and was wearing very battered, brown hat and coat ....   As I will have to transport pencils and all my drawing paraphernalia by train to London I want to minimise the load.     Having a picture which is so very BROWN I can probably get away with carrying just 25 pencils for a limited palette.     This is where I got after a couple of hours work on Sunday and again this morning .... I just want to get it past the 'ugly' stage and then I'll be happy to just work on adding layers and deepening the colours whilst 'demonstrating' ..

I have to put the eyes in early ... can't bear looking at empty sockets

Deepening the skin colours here ... long way to go yet - it all looks very harsh at the moment but don't want to lose sight of those wrinkles (laughter lines)  

 I hope to do another couple of hours work on this on Thursday before using it as my demo piece on Friday (talk about cutting things fine) ... but I'm guessing I'll be doing more talking with the Gallery visitors than actually drawing so ... fingers crossed I won't make a fool of myself!