Sabrina

I used to really enjoy, and get good drawings when drawing little kids. Being so active, they present a myriad of poses, whereas us adults tend to make more, um, sedentary, models. My daughter Sabrina is very active, however, I never seem to have my sketchbook unless she's quietly reading or coloring.

I'm always amazed at how when you really look, kids fit some of the cartoon stereotypes so perfectly, and yet some very distinct characteristics aren't as often captured. Obviously their faces are chubby, and their eyes are big, but when drawing all of these, I find I'm surprised at how small her neck and shoulders are, but that they are not necessarily compact.

Once, after having mentioned off handedly to Sabrina that a good way to make a drawing cute was to have the bridge of the nose to be short, thus bringing it closer in line with the eyes, Sabrina and I were drawing together. We used each other as models. As I roughly sketched out a quick pencil portrait of her, she peered over and said, "Um, that's good Daddy, but could you make my nose closer to my eyes please?"