Sometimes making a #dailysketchext that involves people is tricky. I have experienced that people think that it's going to be like a photograph, like this woman did, and they worry that I'm going to draw their wrinkles, pimples, dark circles, or something like that. It's funny because I draw what I feel and since I am drawing someone I find interest in, I'm usually drawing them to bring out some quality of beauty in them that is not readily apparent. I usually flatter people. However, also this is sometimes not readily appreciated by the subject, either, at least such was the case with this sketch. C'est la vie. You win some, you lose some.
I have a friend who is a poet. In response to my experience with this drawing she said, "She looks youthful and, from what I can see, has a beautiful smile and kind eyes. It's a shame if she didn't like the picture of herself. I think it's lovely... We're also living in an instant world where people take a few minutes to pose for the perfect selfie where they're in control of the end result, and delete the pics they don't like. We all do it, which is why it's not always as "insta-" as we try to make it come across! (Not saying she's a selfie-taking type, just thinking of reasons why others may not be flattered by a hand-drawn rendering of themselves). We also never know what their own perception of their appearance is. I remember for the longest time, I used to think I had the biggest nose and that my eyes were too far apart, feeling I was unattractive. Others would say my nose was "adorable", or that they loved my eyes. Once when I was around 11, my older brother drew a picture of me (he's an illustrator) and I cried for the whole day. The drawing made me look like a fraggle!! I was so upset! But so was he because he thought I'd like it. I guess I'm saying there are layers of perception on both sides that we don't readily see."
What could I say, but, "Oh my, how true..."? Well, I told her, this woman is an interesting person. Because the fact is, she is actually older, but when she is kind and generous she does suddenly seem young and fresh. When I made this, I hadn't seen the other side of her yet (but I had heard of it) and then I saw it after I made this drawing. A lot of it has to do with ourselves though. I know that she was hoping to see herself through my drawing in a certain way. She was hoping to be younger, even more attractive. I just drew the best side of her that I could see. She was disappointed with that, but it is what it is. I cannot do anything about that ;-)