A song and a sketch for a Friday afternoon.

(Pontillism with various Micron pens and collage. Light background wash with a Gelato.)

I started this portrait in October, and as it was convenient to bring my sketchbook and pens with me on our trip, I was able to work on it from time to time while we were travelling in Europe.

I love the fashion of the late forties going into the fities.  The soft curls, the twin set sweaters, the mid-calf dresses, and the music all appeal to me.

When I look at photos of my parents, I can still see the remnants of these styles in their clothes even though the photos were taken in the 1950s.  I remember the femininity of clothing from that era.  Living in a small town, we were probably not at the forefront of fashion trends.

But it was a time when women were much more careful of their appearance in public.  I remember a greater effort in making oneself presentable before leaving the house.

As I spread the dots and lines on the paper, I certainly reminisce about fifties and what events I do remember of those years from my early childhood.

Pointillism is an exercise in patience to be sure.

The little dots must be carefully arranged or it will appear that the subject in the portrait has a bad case of acne.

It isn’t always possible to be so consistent especially after a few cups of coffee!

However, I like this type of sketch because it is another way to practise shading and values.  Another example of pointillism is the portrait I painted of a soldier in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps. Every now and then, it is relaxing to paint this way.

Frank Sinatra’s lyrics seemed appropriate for the period that this woman illustrates with her hair done in victory rolls which were fashionable in the 1940s.

“Oh how the ghost of you clings,
These foolish things remind me of you.”