TBT: Tricksters

... There were a few such groups in Molching at the time, some with members as young as six. The leader of this particular outfit was an agreeable 15-year-old criminal named Arthur Berg. He looked around and saw the two 11-year-olds dangling off the back. "Und?" he asked? (And?)

"I'm starving!" Rudy replied, "And he's fast!" said Liesel. Berg looked at her: "I don't recall asking for your opinion." He was teenage tall and had a long neck. Pimples were gathered in peer groups on his face, "but I like you." He was friendly, in a smart mouth, adolescent way.

(The Book Thief - The Attributes of Summer

I'm stuck at home, sick, and took the opportunity to test my new watertank brushes (not bad, but the water flow is a bit uncontrollable at times). Since I was listening to The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, the protagonists became my test subjects. I have a weakness for stories about children's gangs (Zora the Red being one of my favourite books to date) and Rudy's and Liesel's friendship is so beautiful (and tragic).
I made it a point not to make them too pretty. For one, they all come from a poor part of town, and are suffering from a war-induced food shortage to boot. Secondly, they are never described that way in the book, nor is it really important. They just seem to have to grow into their respective ears and noses etc and hope for the best. Like most of us
So I kept the asymmetrical faces, knobbly elbows and weird hair from the sketch for the most part.

Liesel Meminger, Rudy Steiner and Arthur Berg (The Book Thief) are (c) Markus Zusak