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xCINNx — Peter Cook, flawed portrait
Published: 2011-10-29 11:17:59 +0000 UTC; Views: 1814; Favourites: 23; Downloads: 42
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It would be lovely to pretend that I didn't accidentally spill coffee on this, but I do it so damned often. It is the mark of his memory, a man flawed and close to success, never reaching the fame he deserved....NO! Peter was exactly as he wanted to be, and was a brilliant mind never to be seen again. And I did just spill my coffee on it. All the same, This was a man to be glad of. A world without him is less witty, less brilliant, and less mirthful. I post this old sketch of old Peter for my new friend,Will this wind be so mighty as to lay low the mountains of the earth? No!
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and at his finest, with Dud, and as the devil in "Bedazzled":
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Stephen Fry, as expected, put his passing in such a beautiful way:
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Comments: 52
That is so kind of you to say. I do feel tremendous sadness and great admiration at the same time when I think of this man. If that in some way can leak into a drawing, then I am happy. Thank you so much for such a great comment. I am humbled.
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My pleasure, it's a great drawing!
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thank you, my friend. I must own my own coffee!
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The asylum for the insane has the pleasure to feature your amazing work [link]
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Wow. Thank you so much!!
That is a very kind compliment.
Hope you are doing great.
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You are very welcome
Im not bad at all 
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Again, I think this is brilliant, for the same reasons I specified in the Waits portrait. It's so expressionate and powerful - like a kick of raw emotion to the gut. It's both sad and pensive, I think; and you managed to capture the skin texture and make it look very three-dimensional - and still, because it's a sad expression and old skin, that physical feeling of the skin just adds to the all in all heartbreaking look.
Also, this might be just my own weird taste, but the spilled coffee actually works there as well - it adds to the rough feel of it. In a digital age, a genuine coffee stain can be its own message too.
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Wow. Thank you so much. I love your comments. You really express yourself well and I am very grateful for the generous and thoughtful regard. Sometimes when I do these kind of sketches, I think about how I feel about the person, and sometimes it influences the lines and the texture. When it works, I suppose. When the coffee happened, I told myself "good job", and immediately stopped drawing. But I have begun to think of it more and more as a happy accident and somehow very appropriate. I think that I must like messy in general. Life is messy. I am certainly messy. I even like the word. And pensive. Love that word.
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Pardon my terribly late reply. I think I wanted to write this and simply forgot, at the time. What you say about "how I feel about the person" and it influencing the lines? I think this is the very heart and essence of art. We have cameras to make portraits, nowadays; but to capture your own feelings about someone's face, to reflect what they inflict on you and to express it by choice of line pressure, hue, amount of rendering or even spilled coffee - I think this is what makes something an expressive work of art rather than just something "pretty" or technically superb. And that, I also think, is your special gift; you do it so well.
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Your comments are always quality, and I always look forward to them. No rush
I have been thinking quite a bit about this very subject lately. Sometimes I am disappointed with portraits, as I can easily see where my brain and hand have strayed away from the reality of the face. It makes me feel like I am either not paying enough attention, or lack the skill to properly draw. This has led me to consider two extremes. One is the "grid" method, which I really hate. The other is to intentionally pay even less attention to what I'm working from. I realized that there is no point at all in replicating what already exists. Also, what makes faces so interesting are the odd asymmetries you can find when you really look. It is what makes a face interesting, and of course, human. Thank you so much for the wonderful comment and wonderful compliment. It really helps, as I am sometimes unsure that my emotion will lead me in the right direction. It often leads me into trouble.
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I think that the one place where being hurricane-like emotional isn't problematic, is art. While I feel that it's important to keep the character you draw recognizable, my opinion is that keeping the raw feeling expressionism in it is much more important. An expressive portrait will forever be better than one that evokes no emotion in the viewer, no matter how precise.
I've no advice for you, mainly because I feel know know what I mean and that it seems like your choices would be the ones I vote for anyway.
Please, go on drawing. I enjoy every one of your pieces.
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The worst people are artists that aren't working creatively. When I am uninspired, I don't want to be anywhere near me!!
I agree with you. I think I want to find a way to be more raw in my approach....and I would add that I only like my stuff when it evokes emotion in me when I look at it. Those are the ones I love to show others.
As for advice, I am quite happy with all you say. "Advice" is never very useful, but your reactions are always instructive. I love your articulation very much, and that said, "go on drawing" is better than advice for me. Your kind words really encourage me to continue exploring. I can't put a value on how much that means to me. Thank you so much.
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stunning david very expresive face, what did you used pencil 8b?
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It was awhile ago, so I will guess and say that it was all done with my magic Hannah Montana pencil.
That isn't a joke, as much as it should be.
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how is a magic hannah montana pencil....fo what i see it is a god pencil, works great!!
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Haha! I went through a period when I convinced myself that I had to use that pencil for everything. It was my lucky rabbit's foot. Hello Dax! and thank you for making my morning!
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My apologies for not being around. I will try to make it up to everyone in the next couple of days.
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Brilliant! I really feel you've captured his spirit in this pic. Your description of Peter was spot on too!
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Wow! Thank you very much! That is very kind. I must admit, I wrote the bit about Peter after having listened to the "eulogy" Stephen Fry gave him in the link I added. But I felt strongly about it, and I think I provided an enthusiastic echo to Stephen's beautiful sentiments. 
Thank you very much!!!
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I believe you matched Stephen's sentiments too! Well done.
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Thank you. And thank you for the watch, too!
I am glad to know you.
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Yay - thank you kindly! Hugs for all.
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The purple one has pretty great sneak skills!
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Precisely! I think the purple one is secretly a ninja *cue dramatic music*...
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Thank you!
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Indeed. Awesome ninja battle!!!
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Thank you! There's nothing that cheers up a day like an emoticon battle.
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Too true! Epic battle. I think I favor the one on the right.
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Agreed. I appear to have run out of battle emoticons so here's one of a person viciously forking someone. Enjoy!
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That's a wtf of emotiland. Lovely! Where do you find these things?
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I just click the Emoticons link at the bottom of the message screen and trawl through the list...there are some really elaborate ones around! 
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fuggles! I tried that, but either myself or my computer are dumb as hell. Didn't work. So the emoticons I use, though very limited in range, are always typed out lovingly, like in the old days.
I love the bookshop one. So very cute!!
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I feel the love in your emoticons and that's what counts!
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I have responded to about four of your recent comments, but here I am stymied. There is love in my emoticons, and it's all contextual!
Thank you, dear! You are incredible, lovely, and all too apt for the task!
He means, thank you!
Sev, you are a wonder!
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With coffee or without it... It's a fantastic work, sweetheart!!
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I have now been convinced that the coffee was a good idea, on the part of the coffee!!
What I believed at the time to be an unfortunate demise to my first almost finished attempt to draw the man seems now an "of course" of sorts, if that makes any sense at all. I am pleasantly surprised that people actually like it, and I am glad now for my clumsiness (which comes all-too-naturally).
Thank you, dear.
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BLOODY BRILLIANT!!!
Ya know what that spot of coffee is perfect because Peter was a spotty man who prefered coffee instead of tea
BTW: he love his coffee black(kinda like his humor at times)
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Thank you, my friend!
And sorry for my lateness. Been really sick
I now love the coffee stain. I like to think the coffee is a better intuitive artist than I will ever be. It has tried to get my attention before, but I was jealous of its' talent.
Anything I have said about Peter.....Stephen said better!!! Of course he did. I believe that the title of this was also a reaction to what Stephen said about him.
All that said, thank you. You inspired me to post it, spots and all. I think I feel I have done very little at all. I thank you, Peter, Stephen, and the coffee for this sketch. I was the middleman with a pencil or two.
Seriously, I am very glad you like it.
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The spilling coffee and being generally messy way?
Haha! Thank you, dear.
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It's a style! 
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