The Woody Challenge

Over in LaPine there is an old chunk of wood which acquired an artificial personality years ago. I stuck feathers in the "head", glued on googly eyes, and painted a mouth. He is the Woody guy...I know, not very original. Poor Woody is stuck with the same frightened look full time, so I decided to use him as a model in several still-life arrangements. He looks rediculous in all of them, and I am looking forward to rendering his escapades in pastel.

Here is Woody, the original, as is.

I thought that rendering him in pastel might be a challenge, and boy, is it. I made a couple miserable attempts today, but I haven't found the right method yet. Rather than staying with a realistic image, I want the freedom to change things up a bit and keep it sort of whimsical, but still kind of recognizeable as a piece of wood. There's my challenge. If I can get the values right (the lights and darks), then maybe the colors can be whatever I want them to be. Stay tuned for my "Woody Challenge". I wonder how it will turn out?