Angel Revisited

I've been trying to figure out those aspects of myself that seem true to me as an artist. This is part of that soul-searching process one does to reveal one's voice or style. A voice unique to me and no one else. The problem is that part of the filtering process is accomplished by compiling other artists' work that I connect with and asking what is it about these pieces that speak to me and why without being so influenced by them that you start copying their style. I learned this process from one of my first teachers, Scott Wakefield and most recently, my online teacher, J.Kirk Richards. One of Kirk's first assignments was to draw a "breathing line". Basically, I had to draw a line and then make it breathe by darkening and lightening, broadening and thinning the line as it moved across my paper. Through both of these exercises, I've discovered I am naturally inclined to communicate a flowing, curving line....feminine and delicate. There is nothing forced or contrived about drawing this for me and I realized that this line is often the basis for most of my drawings. I'm also noticing how often I naturally use a profile. Hey...a breakthrough. Baby steps, right?

Anyway, here's a truer representation of my angel idea for a Christmas card. (yeah...I know... it's the 10th of December).