A Long Face of Stone

HAVING been born with a long face - and I DON'T mean a miserable face - I've for many years been fascinated by the work of the great Modigliani.

He specialised in long - usually female - faces. I've tried to emulate him many times, always without success.

Well, the other day, sorting out some old rubble from my shed, I came across this elongated piece of stone and immediately thought: Modigliani!

I took it to my study and, using a combination of wax crayons, marker pens and metallic felt-tips, produced this face. It's called Long Face.

What I like about it is the way the crayons picked out the texture of the stone, giving the face an unusual complexion.

Having coated it with clear varnish, I now use it as a paperweight. I quite like it.