Illustration Notes for Episode Fifty-Three

Welcome back for the first episode of Season Two of TWICE!

There is nothing of import to say about the ‘artistic’ value of this week’s illustration. As has happened in the past when I was swamped here, I have simply painted over a stock photo this week. What is worth mentioning is the reasons for my choice of stock image.

We begin the second season of TWICE by introducing a new and important character: Amber Page—a private investigator hired by Colleen’s parents when the police and FBI investigations of their daughter’s kidnap bogs down. Amber will be not just a major character for the remainder of the series—but a new ‘point of view’ (POV) character with a whole story arc of her own. Investigating Colleen’s kidnapping will be just the beginning of her tasks in the larger tale, and the beginning of her evolution toward outcomes of her own that she cannot possibly anticipate as we meet her now.

Amber is also a character of mixed ethnicity. Her father is black, her mother white, and their stories are and will be important components of her own here. The thing is, I myself am just meeting Amber, and still getting to know more about her than just the broad plot and character arch she will occupy from here forward. I know that she is young, fit, intelligent, fierce in her way, relentless in pursuit of the truth, and black. But I am not yet entirely sure what she looks like. So, this week, I have dodged the question by showing you only her hands on the keyboard of her laptop—where we find her as the scene opens—until I have come to more considered decisions about the particulars of her appearance. …Got ideas of your own? I can’t promise to apply them all, but I’d sure be interested to hear any thoughts you may have!

For now, find—as always—an uncropped and uncluttered version of this week’s image below.

Wishing you all healthy, happy, and at peace. :]