I spent the whole morning on one ear. Not the face, not the hands, the ear. It's the third pass on this interior with the woman in the blue apron and the ear is the thing holding the whole head to the wall behind her, and I couldn't get the turn of the helix to sit back. Too sharp and she looks pasted on. Too soft and the whole head goes flat.

What finally worked was a bit shameful. I took a rigger, very dry paint, almost a scumble, and dragged it around the outer edge, then wiped a clean thumb through the wet part. Two hours of thinking and the answer came in about nine seconds of not thinking.

Anyway my lower back is now a solid object and my daughter has asked me twice if I'm going to eat something today. I am.

How many of you are still standing at the easel for a full session? I bought a tall stool in October and I have used it exactly never, which tells me something unflattering about myself.