Sweet Dreams Prince

I've been working on my drawing skills - taking a class called Inspired Doodles with Stephanie Fizer. One of the things she encourages is time spent sketching every day. That's right. Every. Day. My schedule is kind of crazy right now, so it's been hard - but I've found I really enjoy carving out a bit of time every day to draw. Most days I just enjoy the process, but every once in a while something pops out of my sketchbook that I really, really like. Like this little guy!


My sketch prompt was "night." I would show you the page, but my sketches were too light and no amount of computer manipulation would make them visible. So I'll tell you - the page was full of (failed) attempts to make a happy, smiling crescent moon. I doodled the words "starry starry night." I made some Matisse-ish jagged stars. And I drew this little prince, with a moon on his crown and stars on his jammies.


I liked him, and I thought he'd be fun to stitch, so I pulled him out to make an embroidery pattern.

I designed the whole thing to fit into a 9-inch embroidery hoop, with the words curving along the top edge of the hoop.

I think he's ok - but not great. In the original sketch there was something that made him really jump out at me - something appealing that got lost somehow. I realized that in the sketch I drew him at a slight angle. I didn't do it on purpose - I was actually fitting him between two moons I had already drawn on the page. But when I looked back to try to figure out what had been lost in the tracing, I realized it was his position. I traced him straight up and down in the circle - and he lost something.

I cut him out and tried moving him around below the words, still keeping him in a circle - but the curved words really seemed to demand a centered (and straight) little prince. So I did this instead.

Now he has the same slant that I achieved by serendipity in my sketchbook. It looks like he's just popping into the frame to tell you good night. The informal words off to the side (no speech bubble, no fancy lettering - just my regular handwriting) add to the whole casual effect.

I think this guy looks friendlier. He looks like someone you'd want to have lean into your doorway to wish you sweet dreams.

What do you all think? Am I crazy? Or overthinking? Or should I go with my gut?

Best,
Wendi