Compressed Charcoal

12/2013

This charcoal portrait was inspired by South Korean artist KwangHo Shin who uses curves and smudges to express human feeling with only the eyes being clearly visible.  I found it an intersting challenge to capture  emotion and personality in a portrait and  I discovered how important the eyes are in expressing this. The eyes serve not only as a focal point but also as a source of knowledge and understanding, they are the windows to the soul.

I see free movement and life that consists of “loose but purposful style which fulfilled the criteria of portrait proportions giving a pleasing result.” to quote my interviewed artist, Joseph Freidin. To me that is true artistic beauty.