This was what I spent Christmas and New Years doing.

Yes, I love these two fellows.
Who are they? They are the actors Nigel Bruce and Basil Rathbone, perhaps most famous for thier portrayel of Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes of the 1940s Black and White Film Series. Obviously doing a very artistic pose as Watson and Holmes in the photograph that I used for reference.

Hmmm, this portrait took about half a week, on and off, bit by bit, on Open Canvas 3. I found Holmes's eye supremely difficult which induced an episode of despairing manic laughter until, after a couple of hours or so, I got it looking marginally alright.

And now an extract from one of my favourite Sherlock Holmes Stories that I think fits perfectly with this picture:

All was still and dark, save only that brilliant yellow screen in front of us with the black figure outlined upon its centre. Again in utter silence I heard that thin, sibilant not which spoke of intense suppressed excitement. An instant later, Holmes pulled me back into the blackest corner of the room, and I felt his warning hand upon my lips. The fingers which clutched me were quivering. Never had I known my friend more moved, and yet the dark street still stretched lonely and motionless before us.

(The Empty House, from The Return of Sherlock Holmes published 1905)




edit: do ya wanna see the full version? do ya? do ya? do you wanna see it?