I was looking through my sketch book and I found this man, looking down at his feet. I don't remember when I drew him...maybe sometime earlier this year.

I'd forgotten him, but when I saw him again I suddenly wanted to be his friend.

He looked sad.

I asked him what was wrong, and he said in an invisible voice "I'm ashamed of all the things I can't remember."
I wrote those words down next to him, so that other people would understand
without having to ask him what was on his mind.

His name is Edward Tolby.
Edward Tolby is ashamed of all the things he is ashamed of. H
e is also ashamed of all the shameful things he has done in the past, but forgotten.
In fact, he is more ashamed of the forgotten shame.
I tried to cheer Edward up by telling him that there was no shame in forgetting.
I hope the next time I draw Edward Tolby he is smiling.

AFter the sketch, I copied Edward onto some fancier paper using a light box (putting the original drawing under the new paper and placing them both over a clear lighted area).

I then painted a few different versions using different colors and mediums (some with water color and some with acrylic ink).
I don't do this with every drawing. Sometimes I paint the first one and I am satisfied.
At least half of my drawing don't involve a sketch, but just go straight to painting...in those cases I only do one draft.

In this case, I wanted to see how other colors would change Edward so I did three different versions.

Which one do you like? Do you think Edward feels differently in each one? What is he feeling?

The last step in the process...I choose the Edward I like and put him behind glass. He will live there until someone or something frees him.