I love to work from the live model. The connection made between artist and model is part of the process of creating a portrait. We are, as it were, collaborating on the artwork. A photograph does not establish that kind of connection. However, sometimes, the artist must rely on photographs. And, we would be naive to assume that Michelangelo, da Vinci, et al would not have used photographs. They would no doubt be doing digital art today as well.
Lately, I have been using the Sktchy app to find photo references when I lack the appropriate model. Available on the App Store. The developer's description of the app is short and sweet: "Sktchy connects people through art. Share photos to inspire artists to draw you." The premise is quite simple. People post photos of themselves, making them available for artists to use as a reference. Then, the artist, if she wishes, posts the resulting work. I decided to use the app to find references for people that I would have a hard time finding to pose.
In this piece, I was given the challenge to fill 48 squares with anything, anything at all. Here is the result, my mild-mannered statement against xenophobia. I had to do quite a bit of scrolling to find that many women, wearing the hijab!
Centuries ago, after hearing the words, "Love your neighbor as yourself," a man, asked, "Who is my neighbor?" Presumably, he wished to narrow down the field. We can try our best to whittle that field down, until perhaps no one is left. Or, we can open our arms wide, seeing all people as Neighbor, instead of Other. Is the world made of Them and Us? Or, is the world simply made of Us?
Lately, I have been using the Sktchy app to find photo references when I lack the appropriate model. Available on the App Store. The developer's description of the app is short and sweet: "Sktchy connects people through art. Share photos to inspire artists to draw you." The premise is quite simple. People post photos of themselves, making them available for artists to use as a reference. Then, the artist, if she wishes, posts the resulting work. I decided to use the app to find references for people that I would have a hard time finding to pose.
In this piece, I was given the challenge to fill 48 squares with anything, anything at all. Here is the result, my mild-mannered statement against xenophobia. I had to do quite a bit of scrolling to find that many women, wearing the hijab!
Centuries ago, after hearing the words, "Love your neighbor as yourself," a man, asked, "Who is my neighbor?" Presumably, he wished to narrow down the field. We can try our best to whittle that field down, until perhaps no one is left. Or, we can open our arms wide, seeing all people as Neighbor, instead of Other. Is the world made of Them and Us? Or, is the world simply made of Us?
48 Women Wearing the Hijab
Later, I decided to further develop a few of the faces as stand-alone works. I am including the photos (all screen shots from the Sktchy app) alongside the resulting sketch.
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Besides posting the result on the Sktchy app, I also posted the piece on the Sketch Club website. I created the piece using the Sketch Club app on my iPad Pro. To view the sketch stats, and to read comments about the piece, click this link:
app.sketchclub.com/sketch/10693905.
Most of the comments were positive; however, one artist did post that I was "pandering" and that "white guilt got this elevated." In our polarized political climate, the simple depiction of women wearing the hijab offended at least that one person.
#hijab #sketch club #sktchy #digital art #iPad art
Most of the comments were positive; however, one artist did post that I was "pandering" and that "white guilt got this elevated." In our polarized political climate, the simple depiction of women wearing the hijab offended at least that one person.
#hijab #sketch club #sktchy #digital art #iPad art
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