Little Norway

Title: Little Norway

Pencils: Luminance, Lightfast, Polychromos

Paper: Lambeth 370gsm heavyweight cartridge paper

Size: 11x15.5 inches

Reference: Public Domain, Library of Congress

Well! What can I say. This is my chaotic life in a teacup this piece!

Started last year, put aside for ages due to other creative commitments, then my lifelong NHS job sadly ceased to be with unit closure and redundancy. Then, in something of a creative panic, I realised a deadline was very fast approaching for something I wanted to try at and I had to dust my pencils to finish this off pdq in time to submit.

There is nothing like a fast approaching deadline to get the adrenaline running, and I was much relieved to find out that I still knew how to hold a pencil. Result!

Much encouraged, I resembled the Tasmanian devil of cartoon fame, with pencils wielded in both hands and a feverish look on my face as I applied pencil on fast forward.

But despite all that, I absolutely loved working on this piece. It has been on my to do mountain for a while and the photo is part of a colour slide collection dating back to 1939.

The subject, who I christened Otto in my head whilst drawing, worked on a living farm called Little Norway in Wisconsin. I see the signs of a life truly lived in this kindly looking soul, and that was a pleasure to put to paper. The facial textures were a lot of fun ti create, and that wonderful clothing too.

So here you have it, this big Little Norway is finished at last. Have a good week all 😊