Experiment

I have some leftover odd pieces of paper, and decided to do some small paintings to use them up. Today's is a literary experiment—I'm reading a mystery novel, and the author is good at describing characters; after reading one description today, I decided to see if I could take his words and turn them into a visual of the character. So, this is Richie: His background is that he dropped out of medical school due to a bad cocaine habit, and is now a computer hacker. The description said, "Richie was in his late twenties, skinny as a one-iron, jug-eared and hawk-beaked. He wore thick, rimless glasses and had a scraggly mustache that looked like a squashed caterpillar." (I made his mustache squashy and caterpillar-like, but then couldn't resist giving him some dastardly twirlers after the fact.)

Some aspects of this were a fail: I have to stop believing despite all evidence to the contrary that I can use ink or watercolor when it comes to stencils! That mess of turquoise shapes on the left was supposed to be a cluster of numbers, but the ink leaked and moved and it looks mostly random, though you can make out a few discernible outlines. The "hawk" nose is more of a schnozz, because I didn't give him a "hump" at the bridge like I should have. Also, I keep making these characters' bodies too small to fit their heads! But I was happy with Richie's face and general demeanor, so I'm keeping him!

This is a little one, only 5.5x6.75 inches, on hotpress using Daler Rowney inks and white gel pen. A short session today, but fun.