When I was making space for my laptop, I came across an old snapshot laying on the desk in Uncle Gerry’s office, just another scrap of life’s flotsam and jetsam in a room full of shoe polishing brushes and parking tokens and vintage office supplies.  A couple of debonair guys grin from the 4×6 glossy, towels cinched around their waists, mischief in their pose.  The photo has changed over time,what it has lost in colors it has gained in contrast.  I made the mistake of stopping after I finished drawing the first boy, which I really liked, and convincing myself I couldn’t possibly manage to capture Uncle Gerry’s likeness.  Will he recognize himself if I show it to him?  I left it for a day or two, doing other things and working up my nerve, and I think that was enough to make a noticeable difference in my technique.  Whether it was pencil pressure or nerves, I struggled to get it “right”, going over the original pencil lines several times, so Uncle Gerry’s lines are darker, not as intuitive, he is less Devil-May-Care.  Note to self: don’t over-analyze, finish in one sitting if I can …. but then again, in the photo does he look just a little less comfortable in that towel than his friend?  Maybe it’s an accurate distinction after all.