seattle interlude: sketchbook work

i do a bit more sketchbook work than i have posted here on this blog. working in the sketchbook allows one to work on ideas as well as technique without the fear of failure on a larger and more costly scale.

we are currently out in seattle visiting the kids and decided this morning to do a sketch of a painting i hope to do on a larger sheet of real watercolor paper when we get home. this is inspired by a photo by steve evans, known as babasteve on flickr, who has graciously and generously given me permission to use his photos as "models." this elderly madagascan woman seems full of life and wry humor. i love her hands, knotted and calloused.

no steps just the finished project. it was done on a 12"X9" aquabee sketchbook that has 93# paper that is between hot press and bristol in finish. it takes wet medium pretty well but the paint soaks  in a little too fast to produce finished work in watercolor. i really like the pose and the subject so i will definitely paint a full rendering of this in the studio back in la crosse.