Joy

This is a photo of Jet Li, and it shows more of the true person he is, rather than the martial arts hero/anti-hero he portrays in his movies.  He is a Buddhist and you wonder how martial arts can coincide with such a peaceful interior. Many people are under the impression martial arts like the Wushu Kung Fu he practices, is based on violence. That could not be further than the truth.  Martial arts teach discipline, self confidence and get you in the best shape of your life.
When I was much younger, I took Karate and it is an experience I will always treasure.  But, I digress. This isn't about me, nor is it really about Jet Li. He was just the subject for another art piece.

I wanted a photo showing utter joy and peace, and I think this one qualifies.  Teeth can be tough to draw. They can look like a picket fence, so I seriously considered NOT doing this piece, but then the challenge MADE me reconsider.  I love challenges. I'm always choosing reference photos where the person is deep in shadow. They are so much harder to capture, hence, the challenge.  I welcome any non-flaming crits.  If you're interested, more of my art is on deviantart.com under jagespages.