Some weeks ago I was asked to do some drawings of our fearless leaders so we could run them mug-shot size Sundays on the page featuring editorials and letters to the editor. It was part of the Pilot’s redesign.

I love drawing, but I wasn’t looking forward to this challenge. It takes a great deal of time for me to draw, which is partly why I’m not a professional artist. It’s also because I’d rather pick and choose who I’d draw. I have a friend who does portraits-for-hire and I marvel at his ability to do this. It’s really difficult for me to draw a portrait of someone I’m not interested in drawing.

There’s absolutely no rhyme or reason to who I find an interesting subject to draw. It’s really pretty arbitrary. Some faces are interesting to me as an artist and some aren’t. It’s no reflection on the person at all.

Also, I’m a hyperrealist so I like to draw everything I see. Makes sense. I’m a journalist. I draw everything. I can see some paying customers getting angry that I included that bald spot or scar. But I’m not one to “photoshop” my drawings. So, this week when I began turning in drawings… well, let’s just say some folks didn’t like the likenesses and the project’s been scrapped. I don’t blame them as I’m not too fond of them either, but for different reasons. I just didn’t find enough time to do them and the photos I worked from lacked enough information.

Anyway, I thought I’d start posting the drawings over the next week and write up a little bit on each one. This one’s of Scott Pompe, general manager of Times Community News. I kind of like this one; think I captured his smile OK.

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