Chloe looking very serious!

The above drawing is a 15 min study of Chloe, my grandaughter that I did yesterday. I captured her with her very serious face as she watched something on TV. Usually it's difficult to pin her down for more than 5 mins as she is always on the go like every 9 year old! So I took the opportunity to attempt a study and then worked very quickly. I also did a very quick pencil and watercolour study. It's always a challenge trying to capture a likeness in a very short time period but I find that if I don't let 'likeness' monopolise my thinking and keep focused on putting down what I see in front of me then I more often get a result in capturing something of a likeness. I tend to do alot of looking and mental noting before I put any marks down on paper especially if the sitter is someone I don't know that well. For me portraiture is a fascinating subject as it's not just a record of the sitter's appearance but also a visual interpretation of a person's inner character. It's almost magical and brings a tremendous sense of satisfaction when a portrait emerges that captures both the outer appearance of the subject and their true inner nature.