sketch

{W} Easter

Graphic, Projects Series

The promise of more sun… Flowers blooming… There is much to embrace when Easter is here.

When W’s 2019 “Hollywood” issue arrived, my heart raved over the Tim Walker photographed stories. And while I was going gaga – there was this really captivating image of actress Thomasin McKenzie, wearing Moschino Couture. As the prop egg pops up in more than one setting, I feel that stylist Sara Moonves also is truly deserving of credit here.

The photo is exquisite; yet, like a kid with fresh egg, I just had to dip it into a vat of colors!

Tim Walker photo of actress Thomsin Mckenzie for W Magazine

Hollywood 2019, W Magazine

color pencil sketch of a tim walker photo

Thomasin Sketch from W Magazine V1 2019

Happy Easter!

~ Jeni

Dorothea

Brushwork, Projects Series

As I was sketching Dorothea, otherwise known as Dorothy McGowan, I saw her wide set eyes as similar to Katie Holmes’. Odd, because I rarely think of Katie Holmes…  The photo I sketched from was taken by Irving Penn. My father, who had worked as a commercial photographer, did not have the highest opinion of Irving Penn. Why? I’ll never know.

All said, I’m just nuts for floral crowns. Adding the purple-blue and yellow was felicity on my part.

 

Oil pastel sketch of Dorothea McGowan 1961 photo by Irving Penn

Dorothea

6″ x 8″, Water soluble oil pastels and color pencils.

Eugene and Sergey of Gogol Bordello

Projects Series

Who is Eugene Hütz?

This is what I asked myself after seeing a photo of him standing next to Iggy Pop, taken shortly after the annual Tibet House fundraising concert of 2016. And, I’m glad I searched this Eugene… which led me to the music of Gogol Bordello.

I’m now a bit of a Gogol fanatic – and I finally had the chance to see the band live in Providence last month! In my “homage sketch”, in which I must credit photographer Rich Russo of Music Madness magazine, I had to confine myself to depicting Eugene and his mate, Sergey Ryabtsev.

Pencil sketch of gypsy punk band members, Gogol Bordello's Eugene and Sergey.

Eugene and Sergey of Gogol Bordello

After which, I modified the color levels and printed out a duplicate for coloring:

A duplicate of the above pencil sketch with colors added.

Yacht Pajamas by Edward Molyneux, 1934

Projects Series

My interest in designer Edward Molyneux [b. 1891, d. 1974] was ignited by my friendship with Pati Hill. Before Pati’s death in 2014, I had only known that she once modeled for fashion magazines and French ateliers back in the 1940s… I must credit my friends Nicole and Richard in their very thorough research done for the exhibition catalog: “Pati Hill: Photocopier”

In 1919, British born Molyneux established himself in Paris. Many of his clients later became globally known fashion icons.  Finding photos depicting Molyneux designed clothing isn’t easy – however I rather liked this ensemble found in a d’Ora studio shot [the model, unknown] from 1934.

A sketch and watercolor taken from a d'Ora 1934 photo of a model wearing nautical theme pajamas.

 

Beaches

Graphic, Projects Series

One of the most idyllic scenes as far as subject appeal for me is that of a woman, alone – or seemingly alone – on a beach. A girl or woman needing no one or nothing more than sea and sand.

In this I sketched from a photo taken by Chris Colls. [If the notations left on it are illegible, I also credit Gigi Hadid, Michael Kors – for the swimsuit, and Elle magazine.] The retro nod in her swimsuit being an aesthetic bonus.

Model Gigi Hadid in a Michael Kors swimsuit from a photo taken by Chris Colls, done in a pencil sketch.

Gigi by Chris Colls 2019

Dior Corset 2019

Projects Series

Maybe watching “Madame Bovary” [2014] again – in all of its endless lacing of and tightening in corsets – convinced me to post this little sketch. 

Mario Sorrenti is the photographer extraordinaire behind it all here. Hailey B-B [Baldwin Bieber] cinched in a Dior corset/gown from its Spring 2019 collection for Harper’s Bazaar March issue.

Pencil sketch from a photo taken by Mario Sorrenti depicting Hailey Bieber in a Dior ensemble.

Hailey in Dior 2109

 

 

Dior’s “Pas de Deux”

Projects Series

Maybe it’s just me. Yet, while flipping through the Spring/Summer 2019 collections I felt a bombardment of exaggeration. 

However, Thank you, Maria Grazia Chiuri! Chiuri is the creative director at Dior. As stated on the Dior website, the present campaign came about to embrace “the body in movement”. Nuanced. And gauzy without obscuring.

dior-spring-2019

Sketching Schiaparelli

Brushwork, Projects Series

Last year while shopping used books, I happened upon one entitled: “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations”.

https://www.metmuseum.org/press/exhibitions/2012/schiaparelli-and-prada-press-release

To be more exact, this book is the catalog from the Metropolitan’s 2012 exhibition. Whenever buying a museum catalog, there are rarely previews of its contents. Priced at “a steal” level, I was stunned when it arrived; both the quality and quantity of images within are curated with imaginative consideration.

This sketch was done from a photo by Regina Relang in 1938. I do love “Persian Lamb” – as seen in this Elsa Schiaparelli jacket in its collar, cuffs, and gloves. [To be really forthcoming, I didn’t know what that curly black fabric was called until I researched it, mid-sketch!]

Mixed media used in greyscale rendering of an Elsa Schiaparelli outfit from 1938.

Schiaparelli Ensemble 1938

 

Shanelle on Parchment

Projects Series

Needing a break from my pen and ink studies, I looked to the Spring 2019 fashion pages. Vogue’s March issue has a profile piece on the [often] nomadic minded Rick Owens. As I just happened to have parchment paper within reach, I began sketching Shanelle Nyaiase [as photographed by Zoe Ghertner] and was intrigued with just how graphite appears in the process.

While colored pencils, understandably, might have been a bad turn… Yet I can never resist when an orange hue is involved!

Shanelle Wearing Rick Owens

Life Drawing: Tattoo

Brushwork, Projects Series

Twenty years or so [gulp!] had passed since my occasional forays with life drawing groups. Three weeks ago I decided to delve in again after finding a group here in Mystic. This prospect was not without a fair amount of personal fear… Yet, the members of this group, who are all quite talented and skilled individuals? They made me feel not only made me welcome and [very much needed] encouraged! And for last night’s session, I brought my own box of colors along.  From the image here, you can see I ditched my graphite pencils mid-way and went bananas with the colors.

Watercolor pencil sketch of a female nude with a focus on her back and the tattoo at her hip

Tattoo

“Under Wraps”

Projects Series

“I’m so cold!” Even though Winter had transitioned finally to Spring, those three words had incessantly repeated in my mind. Half of my apartment is below ground – with little to insulate me from the rock it is built upon.  My hands remained rigid, posing a problem in carrying out detailed paintings. So, the cold became a muse of sorts. Colored pencils occupied me until a new heater arrived. And my sanity, somewhat restored!

A colored pencil sketch of a female body wrapped in knitted wear and scarves.

Under Wraps

Harlequin

Projects Series

No one will identify über-model Karlie Kloss in this color pencil sketch – but then the same could be said in Tim Walker’s photograph of her, taken for a British Vogue fashion editorial back in 2010. That’s alright, as that wasn’t my aim.

And when I returned to using my own hand in my art, I hadn’t intended to focus a whole lot on mastering figure drawing. [Nor did I intend to use color pencils all that much!] Yet between this extraordinary pose and vibrant greens, I just couldn’t resist the challenge.

Colored pencil sketch of a Tim Walker photo depicting Karlie Kloss, who is dressed in ruffled green outfit and has her face painted as a harlequin.

Harlequin