The eyes have it or do they?

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Last winter, I turned this drawing into a little watercolor in my sketchbook. Looking back at this image I find the shadow below the chin to be stunning. Is it a warm shadow or a cool one? The photograph does not do justice to the image. However, when I look at this warm shadow as I see it, I feel the time of day which was a mid-day shadow. For a little watercolor done in one sitting with  a minimal amount of pigments I am quite pleased with the overall affect I attempted to capture.

There is something about the lips and skin tone which are quite pleasing, too. It is a challenge to make the lips look like they weren't pasted on. They can lack dimension which gives them a flat appearance. I am not saying they were greatly painted but that they have a warm feeling to them.

Regardless, it is good to thumb through work in the past either to see your progress as well as consider how you would approach things differently. I do think drawing and painting makes you see things more clearly for what they are. 

The subject of this post was conceived because I could not stop thinking about those qualities I find in this image. I do believe meaningful art goes beneath the surface to some deeper understanding or conveyance.