More new toys

There's nothing more exciting (to me, anyway) than the arrival of a box from Dick Blick. I go online and order stuff, and then I more or less forget the specifics of what I ordered (plus they never manage to deliver the order all at the same time, something is inevitably back-ordered), so when the box lands on the porch I get to find out what will tempt me to play today.

I also ordered more stencils from Wish, because I love the effect of the gesso'd patterns laid underneath the transparent ink to provide texture and interest, and they came the same day.

Previous to this, I only used the stencils as an accent, mostly around/outside the face, but these new ones are more repetitive pattern choices, so today I covered an entire page, let it dry, and started painting over the top. The new stuff from Blick was two more colors of Daler Rowney inks—Payne's Grey, which I love as an alternative to both black and blue, and White, which I wasn't sure would work but which comes across more or less the same as watered-down gesso without the mess and trouble, so I'm thrilled. (I also got a few flat brushes to use when painting with gouache.)

This was actually intended to be a nameless weird-looking character, so I picked somebody kind of funny looking to use as a reference (because I'm not so good at drawing without something to look at), but I'm afraid he turned out more recognizable than I thought he would despite my attempt at caricature, particularly when I decided to add his daily garb to the picture. His face is a little longer/thinner than in life, but otherwise a pretty good likeness. I'll have to try again for a nameless goofy guy. See if you can guess.... I'm torn about painting him, because I'm not a fan, but maybe someone who is will buy the painting!

Gesso, stencil, pencil, Uniball pen, Daler Rowney inks, white Signo gel pen, Elegant Writer, on Fluid 140-lb. coldpress paper, 9x12 inches.