This is Stephanie Ritchie, Marsha's and my backyard neighbor in Miami Beach in the 1990's, and one of our closest friends.  The photo I worked from here was taken by her husband Ted.  She has collapsed in full recline on their futon sofa after doing the dishes while still in her formal Bal Harbor Shops work clothing.  I commented that I loved this photo so much that she finally gave me a copy of it!

 

Once the futon and other context revealing elements are removed the resulting pose seemed ideal for a Figurines drawing.  Yes, she is reclining; but there is also something almost comic book super hero/ western gunslinger about her posture.  (Madam Latex will Zap you with her Magic Gamma Gloves!) There seems to be tremendous amounts of latent energy here.  I also liked that it is just a little bit strange.  I think it really confuses some people.

 

One of my worries had been that Stephanie's head might be so small in this foreshortened pose that I wouldn't be able to devote suffiecient detail to her face. The full frontal lighting wasn't helping either - but hey, one can't retake an 19 year old photo.  But overall I was pleased, and I really liked the hair.  One of the things that I like about using the markers is that a much greater range of dark darks is open to you.  The lower pant legs are good examples.  There is a bit of a blotchiness to the water stains on her thighs that bugs me a bit; but it really did look that way.

DRAFT