Woman in black evening dress 1901

Charles Dana Gibson drew this "Woman in black evening dress" with pen and ink on paper, and there's a real immediacy to the marks, isn't there? The marks are applied without hesitation. Look at how the varying pressure of the pen creates such an interesting range of tones. The cross-hatching on her dress gives it volume and texture, while the lines on her face are more delicate, capturing her expression with such simple efficiency. See how the dress, in particular, is rendered with these confident strokes? It reminds me of the freedom of sketching, where the process is all about capturing the essence of the subject. The overall impression is dynamic and alive, as if the artist is having a conversation with the page. There's an influence here from artists like Toulouse Lautrec, particularly in the way the figure is captured with such stylish flair. In the end, drawing like this is about embracing the beauty of imperfection and celebrating the joy of mark-making.