Artist: Robert Reynolds
Location: Clinton, Tennessee
Medium: Colored Pencil
Dimensions: 22″ x14″
Support: Poster Board
Comments From the Artist: I’m a 70 year old retired carpenter/cabinet maker and factory worker. Presently living in Clinton, Tennessee, inflicted with end-stage emphysema. It progressively got worse in 2006 to the point where I am unable to do much of anything, except return to pencil drawing, which I haven’t done for some 20 or 30 years. At least I can still do that .
I’ve drawn over 400 No.2/HB pencil drawings since starting again in 2006. I was considered legally blind in 2007, but with cateract surgery and implantation of artificial lens in both eyes, I now see better than I ever have in my liife. I didn’t do much of any drawing in 2007 from the disability. I was introduced to Prismacolor pencils by a very fine artist on-line and bought a set and started using them as well, occasionally.
This drawing is my drawing of William Adolphe Bouguereau’s 1887 “Fardeau Agreable” or “Not too much to Carry”. I drew it on a piece of poster board 22″ x14′ to keep my expense down as I’m on fixed income of Social Security. I admire Bouguereau’s work so very much that I’ve done quite a few of his fine works….
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Marie Merritt on Sat, 21st Mar 2009 5:29 pm
Beautiful work Robert! I admire your dedication, tenacity and determination. The painting’s theme expresses your personal story and your “can do” attitude that life’s problems “aren’t too much to carry.” Keep up the good work.
ragarm on Sat, 21st Mar 2009 5:45 pm
I like your version very much, different as it is from the original.
I think yours would make a lovely illustration for a children’s book;
both girls’ faces are unique and expressive.
Gwen Luttrell on Sat, 21st Mar 2009 6:10 pm
WOW…..this is great. Keep it up.
I am in my 3rd week of a drawing class. You have inspired me to keep trying.
Valerie Sasaki on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 12:42 am
Wow is right, all I can say is very nice work. Beautiful! I am also on fixed income, so may I suggest, you can go to your local newspaper and ask for the end of their paper rolls, they should give it to you at little or no cost. That can be a endless supply of paper. Thanks, happy drawing!
Jayne Cummins on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 1:06 am
Well done Robert – beautiful line and expression. Everything is in proportion – a most endearing picture. Really lovely.
Jayne
Lynn Marlowe on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 2:47 am
Looks very well done. I’m just a beginner, but if you could market this you should be able to get lots of supplies. The colors are bright and just makes me think of a nice summer day having fun with a sister, niece, etc. Thank you for sharing.
Sana Almimar on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 4:01 am
Hi Robert
you have done a great work,it is so beautiful and expressive .I really admire your determination.
Keep up the wonderful work .God bless you
carolyn Bishop on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 5:00 am
Beautiful! So much personality and feeling!
LIZ DEGROOT on Sun, 22nd Mar 2009 9:12 pm
Hey, I love the way you captured the gentle soft fabric and also the gentle soft relationship of the two girls. When I looked at your picture I could imagine that these two were close, and loved each other, and trusted each other too. Very well done. I am impressed. Liz
Shyam Wadwankar on Mon, 23rd Mar 2009 4:14 am
Hi Robert,
May this mail find you in good health.
I am thrilled to see your work.
In spite of all odds you have kept alive the Artist in you.
Why you started so late?
God bless you.
Thanks for sharing.
Shyam
Robert Reynolds on Tue, 24th Mar 2009 2:18 pm
Thank you so much one and all for your kind words of encouragement and acceptance of my work. Yes I have to ask myself, Why did I start so late? I guess I just felt that the competition in art was so great with such great and renowned artist out there that I didn’t stand a chance of making a living at it and being able to support my family without joining the ranks of the starving artist. I felt a more direct responsibility to my family than to what was, way back then, a hobby and not a profession.
Thank you again……..Robert W. Reynolds
Robert Reynolds on Thu, 26th Mar 2009 12:58 am
Thank you for your generous words of compelling appreciation of my work. I truly am grateful for your kind words and of any constructive critism you may have to offer. As long as it is meant to be constructive critism and you know what you are talking about before offering something you think you are the ultimate authority on. Critism without an ulterior motive in attempting to inflate your own ego. I too, am still learning.
Ingrid Albrecht on Tue, 31st Mar 2009 5:07 pm
Hi Robert,
BRAVO to you! In spite of all of your obstacles in life, you have persevered! Art can heal in so many ways!
You have created a beautiful drawing here, complete with tender emotion! I would like to make a few comments.
Your expressions in the faces is great. The eye of the little girl being carried is a bit dark and maybe this is because of the contrast between the dark line above the eye and the white of the eyeball. Just lighten this a tiny bit and lightly push back the value of the white of the eyeball.
Maybe also add a bit more warmth to the skin of the two girls, especially to the faces, feet and arms of the little girl being carried. She is younger and by adding a warm color to the skin, she will not appear cold.
I am also confused about that dark shape under the little girl’s foot in the lower right of the drawing. Maybe don’t have this such a solid dark.
Keep drawing and thank you for sharing with us. You see, those good drawing skills you honed years ago have never left you! CONGRATULATIONS to you!
Ingrid
Robert Reynolds on Wed, 1st Apr 2009 12:35 pm
Ingred, thank you for the critique of this drawing. I have made the corrections with the exception of adding a little more color to the little sister. I intend to make that correction this morning. I really wasn’t aware of the dark area under the little girls left foot until you mentioned it. I went back to the original and compaired it to my drawing and mine was excessively too dark there. I’ve corrected that on my drawing too.It was supposed to be the weeds being dark but it came out too dark. I’ve worked on the little girls eyes as well. Thank you again. I’m striving for perfection in my drawings and I know I have aways to go but I do value helpful critism in achieving my goals. Some of my problem is that I do get a little lazy and impatient in getting the drawings completed. I’ll have to work on that as well. Thanx again.
Robert Reynolds on Wed, 1st Apr 2009 5:24 pm
Hi Ingrid Albrecht,
One thing I did fail to mention, is that when I went back to review my actual drawing; it does have quite a bit more color in the girls skin tones than what shows in the posting of this drawing. This posted drawing looks extremely washed out. It still could stand a little more though, as well as some fine blending of the colors of the skin tones Thanx again. Robert
Darlene Colby Hogue on Fri, 28th Aug 2009 4:38 pm
Robert,
Please email me!
Darlene