Upon seeing this sketch, a good buddy of mine told me that he wanted me to go back to the coffee shop, hunt this girl down and get her phone number for him!
But alas, this little lady looked quite different in real life and is a classic example of how I often embellish upon what I see while I'm sketching. She was attractive certainly, but different from the way I have chosen to depict her here. It is rarely my goal to simply copy. I almost always make a conscious effort to take what I see as a starting point and then bring something more to it as an artist. Sometimes I will take various visual element from several different people and combine them into a single character.
When nature doesn't give you what you want...embellish!
I have also encountered situations where the reverse is true. I have seen women, landscapes, life moments so beautiful that I literally pause and take them in. The urge to sketch in those situations is often eclipsed my an inner recognition that what I'm seeing is much better than anything that I am able to put down on paper given my present level of ability.
Things that may have given me pause ten years ago, I can now do in my sleep. But nevertheless, life will always confront the artist with that which is more beautiful than his/her ability can match. Thus, the artist seeks to learn, grow and expand.
Hopefully as a result of that, the artist will also share and then all the rest of us can benefit as well.
Just my two cents.
