So I went to pick up the kids from school today. I was riding my scooter to get there faster, and suddenly fell because of a crack in the ground. I got a few scratches and my joints got hurt.

I was thinking is this how the year is supposed to start? Last year also began from challenges, where is that white stripe or is it a whole decade of 20-s going to be like this?

No one can give an answer, it’s just a rhetorical question. I know that I have to have faith and hope, and not to get discouraged. But it’s hard when bad things happen to me. It’s hard to accept it, and be thankful for that. Some people say, well, it could be worse. Don’t be so pessimistic. I’m actually not pessimistic right now, I’m just trying to figure out, should I keep dreaming and having hopes or better to lower my expectations so I don’t get disappointed?

In this situation art process helps me to get distracted from all the unpleasant things that happen to me. I can go to my art world and feel in charge of something:-)

Let me share with you a pencil portrait I did this morning.

Materials used.

Sepia pencil

Pink Eraser

Pastel paper

Tortilon

Process.

• I did an outline of a face. I didn’t press too hard on my pencil to have a chance erase later if I needed to.

• In this step, I was drawing a base for the eyes, nose and lips. I shaded hair part some as well.

• Next, I worked with the eyes more closely, and shaded the lips.

• I was going to make the drawing more minimalistic and leave it like that. But I changed my mind and kept working. In the next step I was blending the shade with tortillon. I rarely use but since this sepia pencil is more like a charcoal I decided to use it.

• Probably here it would be better if I stopped. But I had itchy hands:-)

Here is the result. I hope you liked the process photos.

This is how I feel when I do art, like a bird flying freely in the sky:-) It’s my own way of healing and recharging.

Thank you for visiting!