OK Boss

Don't tell me you will work for money. I will have you sitting in the Imaginarium posing for a drawing or a painting. Hey! It's honest money. This gentleman, older than his years, hard worn by time and struggle, asked me for money one day as I was going into my studio. He needed money for a bus ticket. "Sure!" I said," I've got some money for you. You can do a little job for me and I will give you the cash." I told him that I wanted him to model for me. He didn't understand. I showed him pictures of others who had modeled for me, and explained that all he had to do was sit still for me for 2 hours and I would have some money for him for his bus ticket. 
 
I call this drawing, "OK Boss," because he said it every 5 minutes during the two hours he modeled for me. He was ready to go. Every 5 minutes I would say, "No! Stay. If you leave before the 2 hours you promised me, you will not get the money." He moved more than a greyhound on track day. Drawing his picture was like hitting a moving target. It was a great challenge for me. I am proud of this drawing. Afterwards, visitors recognized him from the drawing and would ask me how I got him to sit still long enough to ddraw him. 
 
For the portrait of this homeless man, I chose the regal technique of, "Tres Colores." It is the technique of starting with charcoal on a medium, tan toned canvas, then adding red chalk to the heart of the color and white to the highlights. The charcoal sits cool in the shadows. The three colors together with the fourth color of the paper, help add the illusion of life in the skin, bringing the picture half way between a drawing and a painting. Enjoy.