Some Art - Loretta Young and a Cover

So I did do some of my artwork.  The Loretta Young picture came out splendid, but I should tell you that this is a photo replication: that is, I pin down certain key features with an overlay before I begin my drawing.  (On paper, I'd use a grid.) I don't do this well completely free hand.  (On the other hand, this is also how Vermeer worked, so I don't feel bad about it.)

When I do try to do a portrait completely freehand, it comes out not looking like the person at all.  Which is frustrating when I'm trying to draw a picture for a blog post about someone specific. 

But here's the thing:

If I don't try to make it look like the person -- and more importantly, if I don't rush it -- it can come out looking like a good picture of someone else.

Which is a good way to do character illustrations.

Furthermore, I have this theory that if I were to NOT give up and either draw someone else, or go for the photo replication, I might actually bring the picture back to resembling the original person.  That is, I might be able to do one of those oddly detailed caricatures that I so admire.

I might play more with Loretta Young on that, but first I think I might give it a try with the current actor, Nick Blood, who plays Hunter on Agents of SHIELD.  He has interesting bone structure.  I think my failed attempts to draw him will lead to images that are still interesting.

In the meantime I did a different background for the possible book cover.  So far the story doesn't actually involve stairs, but it involves a woman laid up after an accident in her spooky old house, and she can't climb stairs -- so stairs probably should play a part.  Not sure if that figure at the top of the stairs is going to be her looking down, or if it's a menacing shadow upstairs.

I haven't found the title, or the fonts I want yet. (The title here was chosen because it fits.)  And I still would like a more flat, abstracted background, a la 1950s pulp and thrillers, however I haven't found the textures I want, and, okay, I have WAY too much fun playing with smeary tools.

And no, I didn't really do any plotting today. 

See you in the funny papers.