drawing for "My Friend, Jim"

My best drawings are those where I have a strong emotional response to the person modeling. For me drawing Jim is like working with self-rising flour. Unlike any other model my drawings of him seem to rise up on their own and are always some of my best. This drawing began as a blind contour drawing which gives it its character. I placed the lighting below the model in front enhancing his features and giving him what I call a mixed heroic demeanor.