Stave 3 : The Ghost of Christmas Present

In keeping with the historical referencing that I'm trying to do with these illustrations, I thought I should find a special person as a model for the Ghost of Christmas Present.  Robert Blum, one of the leaders of the Revolutions of 1848 in Germany and Austria, seemed to have both the right appearance and personality.  Here is my initial sketch, after a portrait by August Hunger (Hunger's painting was provided by Wikimedia Commons).

And this is my finished drawing of him as the Ghost, appearing in Scrooge's magically decorated room.

I don't actually consider myself to be a Christian, but I appreciate the holiday for its message of kindness to others.  There is always too much greed and nastiness in the world, so it is important to remind ourselves of the joy of being nice to each other.  So let me thank you for reading my blog, and please accept my warmest wishes to you, your families, and your friends for a happy and healthy 2016 holiday season.