Elf Drawing: Christmas Spirit is in the Air

I just completed this drawing destined for the front of my parents' Christmas 2009 card. I've been in charge of their Christmas card cover since I was twelve. (That's quite awhile.) Do you think that this yearly ritual was part of a plot to steer me toward a career in fine arts? If so, I'm glad it worked. I like this life.

When I was first creating art for my mom and dad's card, the card would be readied for printing by the art director at the company my dad worked for. I forget what I drew for the first one ... but whatever it was, the art director placed it on top of a house (that I didn't draw) and added snowflakes (ditto). I was horrified. Each year from then on, I spent a lot of time worrying what special touches would be added to my artwork. I took ownership of what I did right from the get-go. I'm friendly, really nice actually, until you start messing with my art.

For this year's card, I drew one of the elves that my dad perched up on their dining room chandelier. My mom and dad's condo looks more like a winter wonderland than the North Pole in your wildest imagination. Every year, my dad constructs a whole village with a neighborhood of people of all ages playing in the snow beneath a beautifully decorated tree. Plus, there's a train. Of course.

Still, my favorite parts of this enchanted winter wonderland are the decorations on the dining room chandelier. I'm completely mesmerized by them. Maybe I think everyone should spend some time up on a chandelier. The height offers a fresh perspective. This elf appears to be giving a speech about how great it is up there.

The spirit of Christmas is in the air.

The drawing is done in graphite, red pastel and charcoal pencils on Bristol paper. See more of my drawings on my web site: www.jillbanks.com in the gallery section and throughout this blog.

"The Elf and the Chandelier", graphite, red pastel and charcoal pencils, 8.5"h x 5.5"w, copyright Jill Banks 2009.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435