Light Study

I love doing portraits without reference.  Every time, I find it exhilarating to see the face that comes out of a random sketch.  I often feel that I am almost obligated to put a story to the face.  I’m trying to develop the habit, when I do paintings like this, to have some sort of story running in the back of my mind.  To drive the emotion of the subject, among other characteristics of the painting.

Approx. 4 Hours to completion.

I actually started this light study on my Acer Iconia A500 tablet in Sketchbook Pro, and then transferred it into the Gimp.