Taking a Really Close Look.

 I haven't posted much lately, because I've been involve with my beading project. 
I've done very little drawing and painting, but The Sketchbook Challenge blog 
has given me motivation to pick up my paper, pencil, pen and paints again.

The Sketchbook Challenge theme for February 2012 is CLOSE-UP.  
I searched through my photos and found one that has always grabbed my attention: 
the praying mantis I encountered while I was clearing brush last fall.

Isn't that face worth a close-up?


I cropped and rotated the photo, then enlarged the head.

 

Next I sketched and painted the closeup. 

   

It's not my favorite sketch, but I enjoyed getting back to drawing and painting again.