I see a face, of course a female one. I take note of everything: skin color, composition, hair type, and various odds and ends, all these and similar elements that make up a likeness. Sometimes it is the amazing combination of the colors of facial skin, hair and lips. Sometimes the shape of the eyes, some sort particular glance. In a word, all it takes is the slightest cue and work begins. All attention concentrates on this, finding all the new components, but the archetypal stroke slumbers somewhere, buried under the heap of new details…
The most difficult process is the concretization of this visage, which needs to be expressed in the language of art: traditions, schools and the accepted system of relative artistic symbols. And how often they are victorious. And how much effort must be spent keeping interest alive, purifying and preserving the granule all that fuss raged over. But many, many artists take up the brush from a desire to illustrate this or that idea, most likely an abstract idea… and there’s no art in that.
