A Trio of Four (524-26)

Math was never my strong suit, but you've correctly read this title: A Trio of Four. That's three drawings, four critters, all at once: No. 524 (Zena Marie, in the grass), No. 525 (Bubba Lou -Louis Sebastian, cat on the bricks), and No. 526, The Boys, Beau and Gunner, on the wooden steps).

A friend and former co-worker said she's had a tough year, losing three beloved pets in 12 months. She reached out and wanted new drawings to match those of her four other pet friends that I had previously done. We made measurements and I tried to make the new ones match the other little friends.

This process at times did get a little nuts, because I do not have a proper art room here in our packed-to-the-rafters condo. What I do have is the top of a disassembled drawing board, and another smaller board, both of which can be placed just about anywhere: On a bed, across a recliner, on the porch, kitchen table etc. Sounds stupid, looks even worse, but works pretty well. I have done a number of drawings in this way over the last three years -- but no paintings. That might be too messy.

I had planned to do each drawing separately, but wound up doing all three in tandem. I'd mess with one, then do another the next day for a change, and then the third the following day to keep it interesting. All were done in the same way: Eyes and dark spaces first to get the spacings correct, then the body outlines and feet to get the sizes about right, and then the fur and the final fill-ins and shadings.

So. Much. Fur.

These pieces started coming together nicely over about three weeks. Several pencils were ground down, the vacuum got a workout with the eraser dust -- and several beers and a few bags of potato chips may have been involved in the creative process (far from the drawing paper). I need to have the carpet cleaned. I'd send my friend various photos of her friends-in-progress.

Please note that I was provided with excellent photos of Zena Marie, Bubba Lou, and Beau and Gunner. Good photos generally make for better drawings, because there is less guesswork. A former newsperson, the girl knows how to take pictures.

I do not attempt so many drawings these days, unless its for someone or something really special. I have to negotiate with my hands to make it all work, and I go for about 90 minutes a stretch and get kind of bent over. This, too, sounds stupid and looks even worse.

THIS is why these three were done: "I wouldn’t trust/want anyone else to draw our animal kids."