Where Ought I Be? - ©copyright 2011, Timothy Jones
12" x 16" - Charcoal on tinted Canson paper
I knew when I saw the photo this image is based on that I would want to use it for something, someday. The annual conference of the American Chesterton Society in St. Louis seemed like a good excuse to dive in. There was something about the rumpled, frowsy Chesterton on the gritty train platform that lent itself to a charcoal rendering. Trains. Coal.
It was great fun, really absorbing, to render the yards of cloth that GKC was carrying on and around his ample frame. The perspective also, I think, emphasizes that he was not only stout, but very tall, especially for the time. About 6' 3". Just a big man all around. He would have to have entered a room like a weather front.
The original drawing is 12" x 16", and also makes use of "white" charcoal, pastel really. White charcoal is like white chocolate, I suppose. No chocolate OR charcoal.
Anyhow, more to come.
Love this, especially all the drapery; and I love charcoal - probably my favorite medium. I lost my best charcoal drawing in the fire... seeing this has inspired me to leave off grieving and replace it with something new. :)
Posted by: Annette Heidmann | 08/04/2011 at 07:55 AM
Splendid. I draw only occasionally -- by no means am I a visual artist -- but when I do draw I use charcoal (and chalk for color), so I like to see here what can be done with it by those truly gifted. I'm also enjoying the recent series of GKC images!
Posted by: Michael Baruzzini | 08/09/2011 at 07:17 PM