In keeping with the process I’ve been using in my last series that began with a photo of my brother Mike*, beginning with Portrait, Mike and Mom, ending with Autism and Cave Paintings.

In yesterday’s post (Emotional), I revisited a seminal photo in my long term photo project about him.

Today I tried to boil down his look of sadness. I focused on one eye. It appeared to have a tear in it, but since the photo was so grainy it was hard to tell.

In my first watercolor attempt I was very meticulous about every brush stroke.

Sad Eye No. 1
12″x9″ 140# Cold Pressed Watercolor Block

I used fast brush strokes in my second attempt.

Sad Eye No. 2
8″x6″ 300# Cold Pressed Watercolor Block

In my third attempt, using a black oil-based pen, I was unable to achieve any nuances in shading.  Perhaps I could have, had I taken more time. But I think Mike’s crying eye requires the analog approach of watercolor rather than the black-or-white approach of a pen and ink sketch.

My reference photograph is below:

* Mike was diagnosed with autism and “profound retardation” in the 1950s. He has never spoken.