Lakshmi

This is my niece, Lakshmi. She asked me to draw her portrait after I took several of her photos during my last visit to my hometown. I agreed even though I was quite unsure of when I would do one. It has been a while since I painted much less drawing. My mind has been constantly nagging me to pick up a brush but I was so absorbed with cross stitching, my other passion. I managed to finish off a couple of unfinished cross stitched projects.One of them was quite ambitious and before I was done, 6 months passed by. I knew I had to paint next but I drew instead. It has been three years since I did a portrait. I am so relieved that I haven’t lost  touch with my drawing skills.

The portrait has been done entirely using hatching and cross hatching except for the hair. A departure from my usual portrait drawing technique.

Graphite and Charcoal
11″ by 14″ on Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Vellum

Here are my completed cross stitches that kept me away from drawing and painting:

Both are designed by Joan Elliott.