"Why Don't You Dance" and other images

What's the work about these days? "Why Don't You Dance", Raymond Carver's short story which appeared in a volume entitled "Where I'm Calling From" and which describes a random intersection of lives, young and not so young, personal transitions, plans and failures, is a focus right now. The image set in the middle of this post is 24" x 36" and is the first of two I plan to illustrate the story. It (the image) is my progress thus far as I attempt to zero in on lines, trajectories, light and shadow. Colors are revealing themselves to me....since I think you really can't shape lines, trajectories, light and shadow without using color in some fashion...so I think I am progressing.

The second canvas will move the view more to the right and include the young male and female couple in the story. Haven't decided if I want to include the third character in the view....the lone male resident of the house whose life seems in major disarray. I'll have to re-read the story. It's great how the picture informs the story and vice versa!

Oil on canvas and conte, watercolor and gouache in the images above "Why Don't You Dance".

The orange/white picture is a modified version of the picture I posted previously. Better proportions, I think.

I bought a book at a local used book place a couple of weeks ago: "The Human Figure" by John H. Vanderpoel, published in Chicago in 1913. The pen and ink images are copies I've done. Great fun to do!