One of favorite subjects to draw is the Tomten.  A Tomten or Nisse is a scandinavian house elf that lives unseen by the residents of the house.  Tomtens can be good or bad depending on the demeanor of the residents of the house.  Author, Astrid Lindgren's two books about the Tomten are deeply peaceful books about the tomten and the Scandinavian winter.  Those two sources influenced my ideas of the Tomten more than anything else.  I love winter more than anyone else I know, especially once I took up nordic skiing, and I think that is part of the reason I love drawing the Tomten.  This drawing was part of a series I did for for Paul, my old roommates eldest son.  The rest of the drawings from that series will make their way up here sooner or later.