12.5 hours

Did something like 2 and 3/4 hours more, not including an hour of tweaking things here and there after I took this pic.  Taken with a camera and uploaded to an Asus T100, using limited editing so I couldn't brighten or sharpen.  Feeling rusty, and used multiple grades of pencil.

I've transferred the source photo to this computer, and discovered that the leather jacket details come across much more clearly.  Excellent, if the lead hasn't already made the paper too muddy I should be able to fix this and have something I'm satisfied with.  This evening I was working from the printed picture, which hasn't the luminosity of a screen.  I'm not happy with the shading yet of her abdomen, hence the constant tweaking (the closest I will ever get to tweaking Sharon Mitchell...)

Ugh.  the past couple of days have left me in a distinctly unsexy mood.  Like sex itself is a turn-off right now.  When I draw subject matter like this, my mind is on the work...but I do try to get a sensual feel from it when I'm done, and right now I'm looking at this and not feeling it.  The leather isn't there, the skin doesn't look warm. doesn't look smooth or fluid, I'm not getting a feel for the texture. Might be because I'm off my game, might be because I'm upset. I know I wasn't feeling it flow from the pencils, the real reason I kept switching.

The photo of Dana also is clearer on the Asus, I can figure out her hair more easily.

The pose on the 1/12th figure is being cemented in with the Milliput (first time I've tried it - so far so good) for the bones and joints and Paperclay to fill in the torso.

On my project with Jesseca, I've got a body (one of two) formed from polymer clay.  It just re-enforces my conviction that the stuff is not my medium, at least not my ideal.  It's solid but isn't modeling to the shape as well as I'd like...and as yet has no arms but for pipe cleaners.  I will add those after the clay that's on has hardened a bit...and the question now is whether to try to add the details of her clothing, or bake the piece plain and try to adorn it using the Milliput or some other putty.  I can always start over if it comes to it, but I hate to waste the material.

That's another important lesson in overcoming blocks:  Do NOT be afraid of wasting material!  I'm always gathering this and that that I think may be useful, and then never doing anything with it because I don't know how to get it right on the first attempt.  You can't learn anything that way.

Personal note - I'm trying not to think or feel anything.