Thumb Sucker

I am very excited to get started on this little thumb sucker. This pose really speaks to me because of about eight years of practice with it as a child. I think I started sucking my thumb in vitro and had a very hard time stopping after that. My parents tried putting a solution on my thumbs that tasted awful but I knew if I kept at it I could suck the yucky taste off after a while so I think It only made me suck my thumb more if anything. What finally squashed my thumb sucking habit was pure guilt.
My "nice" grandma knew that I liked music boxes so she promised she would give me one if I stopped sucking my thumb. I stopped but only when she could see. At bed time as soon as I knew she was not watching that thumb would go straight in my mouth. The ploy worked on her and before long she let me choose a lovely music box for my own. That is when the guilt set in. I knew I was lying to pretend I had quit. Before long I had the habit kicked because it was just not fair to lie to my grandma, and I did not want to have to give the music box back.

This painting is being a little difficult because the whole side of the face is so dark it is hard to show form with out greater tonal differences.