DSFDF Challenge-Drawing!

This is my entry for the latest Different Strokes From Different Folks challenge. It is from Karin's reference photo of a sculpture called A Companion of Diana. The marble sculpture was done by Jean-Louse Lemoyne and is in the National Gallery of Art in DC. The nymph depicted in this sculpture with her hound, was a companion of Diana, the goddess of the moon and the hunt.

I first sketched out the entire thing to make sure I had the proportions right, then I used the "roundy-roundy" shading technique I learned in the botanical illustration class to finish it. Here was my sketch.
The image above that I submitted was done as a color scan. The one below was done using the black and white setting. The difference is interesting. I think you can see the detail better in the black and white scan but I thought the warm tone of the paper came through nicely in the one I submitted. This challenge reminded me of all the reasons I love to draw:

1. It makes you see details you wouldn't otherwise notice

2. You can sketch anywhere-on the train, on the couch, on a bench in the park (I did all 3 of these to finish this challenge).

3. It is great practice of the basics. It's the first class you take in art school.

4. It can be quick and gestural, or highly detailed.

5. You can erase!

I've known I wanted to do something with art pretty much all my life (except for that brief period where I thought I wanted to be a mailman because I thought driving around in those little post office trucks with the driver's seat on the other side looked like fun). I used to draw a lot as a kid, mostly interiors that included our cat, Hercules.

If you haven't yet checked out the book, An Illustrated Life by Danny Gregory, do it ASAP.
He has collected images of 50 artist's sketchbooks and compiled it into one amazing book. I swear it will immediately inspire you to want to start journaling your life with drawing.

Happy sketching.