Sketchbook Saturday

Sketchbook Saturday

This is a charcoal sketch I did in 1992. I still love working with charcoal because I like to smudge it for a smooth texture. I used to do my hair like this a lot so it may actually be a self portrait (kind of).  It was also how Janet Jackson did her hair in the Pleasure Principle video so maybe I was trying to draw her. Not sure now!

Sketchbook Saturday

This week is a four-in-one! I don't know exactly when these are from since they are just labled 1990s in the file.  I had kept my hair shoulder length or longer when I was in my teens but was considering chopping it all off into some cute short cut. The drawings below are of some ideas I had of what I wanted to maybe do.  The first two I think were what I thought one cut would look either curly or hot ironed. Notice the rat tail on the third one! I changed my mind and kept it long because I just loved my hair too much!

Sketchbook Saturday

Since I am going in chronological order through my scanned images, this one is another from 1989.  One thing about me since I am biracial and raised by my white mother and stepfather, I had a tendency to want to draw things that were particularly "ethnic" and this is one of those.  It is my attempt to be very clear that the girl I am drawing from my imagination is Black without making her face super dark.  I liked the challenge of being specific with the features while trying not to go overboard in any stereotype.

Sketchbook Saturday

I drew this from a photo of myself that my mom took back in 1989.  It was a snap shot that I submitted to an international model search contest.  I made it to the regional semi finals. I think the region was Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas but I only remember one person from Texas and the rest were from Tucson (where I lived at the time).  There may have been some girls from New Mexico and other parts of Arizona but it seemed like most of them were local.

Sketchbook Saturday

I was constantly trying to challenge myself in one way or another when I did sketches. This one from 1989 is multiple. I was working on getting the hair and the hands.  I was also practicing my face and expressions, specifically here the smile.

Sketchbook Saturday

This pencil sketch is labeled 1989 in my files.  Sometimes I would try to draw cartoon style instead of artistic or realistic. Although some would argue that cartoons are an art form! :-)

Sketchbook Saturday

I am 90% sure that this pencil sketch from 1989 was drawn from a magazine picture. It was either an ad or from a fashion spread.  I'm not sure which but it was definitely from a photo.

Sketchbook Saturday

I don't remember if I drew this back in 1989 from a magazine photo or from my imagination or a combination of both.  I do know that I was always trying to push myself and try to draw things I found difficult. I still find doing a whole person difficult.  I think I did a decent job here.

Sketchbook Saturday

This pencil sketch is from 1989.  I don't have a clever story for this one other than if you look close you can tell that the picture I did on another page either bled through or transferred.  You can see where it says "BLOODS 2 Da <3" which is a hint at the social group I was around at the time.  I didn't bang myself but my cousin from Cali and the friends she managed to make did and I ended up getting friends through her instead of vice versa.  I was the goodie two shoes little sis of the crew.  The interesting and/or ironic thing is that only 50% of the gang bangers I knew in Tucson, Arizona back then were Black. Most were white or Hispanic and even one Asian. I know that this side story is irrelevant to the art shown, but I figured since it was there I would expound.

Sketchbook Saturday

This is a 1989 self portrait of me in my prom dress and the actual jewelry that I wore.  While the other girls were spending hundreds of dollars trying to look like a Disney princess, I got a cute little cocktail style dress on sale for only $35!  The jewelry was vintage costume that my grandmother gave me a few years prior.  The shoes were basic Payless Shoe Source and I think I got the stockings from there too.  Notice that I didn't draw my hands.  I still hate to draw hands!

Sketchbook Saturday

I remember drawing this one back in high school.  It wasn't for a class or anything; I just liked to try to draw specific emotions sometimes. As you can see in the lower left corner, what I was trying to convey here was "Distraught".  It has flaws but it is pretty good for a 16 year old.  Heck, it's pretty good in general since I can barely draw this well now since I am so out of practice!

Sketchbook Saturday

I'm not sure the story behind this sketch since it is in such a different style than I was doing back in 1987 when it was drawn.  I almost think I was attempting a self portrait with a time limit but I don't recall exactly.

Sketchbook Saturday

As you may be able to tell from the hair style, this is another old sketch.  I have it labeled 1987 but it looks more like something I would have drawn in the early 90s.  Not sure why I chose to draw a crying girl.  I was probably trying to see if I could convey the tears which were/are very hard to draw convincingly.

Sketchbook Saturday

I have always loved to draw.  In high school I drew a lot more than I do now. This is from 1987. I don't think I did this from a picture. Most of my sketches are just from my imagination.

Sketchbook Saturday

I have a LOT of sketches that I have scanned or taken digital photographs of. I will be posting them in chronological order.  This one is from 1987 and was inspired by the MC Escher self portrait pictured below.