I look through the photos that Jacob and Kristian sent me. I don't find the good portrait I'm looking for. I set up a slideshow on the computer, and watch them over and over again. What is the basic color? And the complementary opposite? It is very clear, very light, over there. Light blue as a basic color perhaps? It'll look good when I cover it with brass - and it makes an excellent contrast, too.

Eric is religious - a Baptist. The light blue and gold make an easy illustration of the divine influence on his life. I go on watching the slideshow - again and again. Does the arms of a Baptist cross have the same or different lengths? Must remember to ask.

I'm watching the photos of his home: brown and reddish brown colors on the couch, ochre in the kitchen, black TV. The divine influence isn't light all the way through - just look at the food! Jesus himself would be all fat and stumbling around if he ate like that every day!

I make up my mind: a mix between orange, caput mortuum (death's head), and English red - with a little white for the background. Just a thin layer, so it'll be dry when I wake up tomorrrow. I must hurry - I have a new American to portray next week.

My arm finds a rhythm of its own, and paints a big arch - it resembles the church from the photos. I put a cross in the middle together with a pattern of squares I pick up from the photo of Eric's couch. There's a lot of room to play around like this ... I think I'll use the photo of Eric in front of the steps leading to the University grounds. A flight of steps is a good religious symbol. Jacob's ladder and all that, you know. Did you get that, Jacob?

Well, enough for today. Must sleep now while the paint dries.