You never know until you try!

I have recently started writing a column for our local paper.  Usually I attach a relevant photograph along with each piece, but yesterday I wrote about our local wildlife and included the story of our chipmunk jumping down my t-shirt.  I have loads of pictures of my babies but felt that, as the story was quite funny, it warranted something equally comical.

A few years ago Lovely Man and I had a caricature drawn by an artist in the UK and they are displayed in the lounge.  So as I sat there the idea sort of popped into my head.  What if I could do one of myself with a comic chipmunk poking his head out of my top?  First of all I took a very quick, and unflattering, photo of myself trying to look surprised!  Then I started to sketch the basic lines and shapes of my face.  I then searched the internet for some cartoon chipmunks to get an idea how to accentuate their faces.  So here is the photograph (anyone of a sensitive disposition may wish to leave this blog now!!)

 

Yup, scary!  Sorry folks!  Now here is the first sketch, which at first I was pleased with, but then I went off it!  Wasn't quite right somehow.

First attempt - a little naive perhaps?

Ok, so I went off it.  What next?  Well I had this idea to try to copy the one on the wall but change my hair (it used to be short and spiky) and my clothes (I was wearing a strapless dress) and the expression.  This was OK-ish.  I didn't feel comfortable because it wasn't strictly my own work, I felt I had just copied someone else's work even though I'd changed it substantially.  However, it did give me more of a feel for exaggerating the features.

Second attempt - still not happy!

Still not happy I decided to try just one more time.  Eureka!  Third time lucky!  This, I felt, was me.  My own work, my own style and a definite improvement on the first attempt.