Aloha July.
Wow, 2020 is flying by. Maybe not. When I ran cross-county, my coach would always encourage us to “finish strong.” Finish strong meant to end the race with as much strength and fervor as when you began the race. By the second half of the race, the adrenaline rush may be wearing off; however, the faint scent of the end (victory) becomes stronger and stronger with each step.
This month’s illustration focuses on black women in bathing suits, perfect for the summer. I know that this summer is a little different. While we are spending more time indoors, it’s crucial that we talk about some insecurities women have around wearing swimsuits. Some people are insecure about weight, hyperpigmentation, hair, etc. To those ladies, I say – Wear the suit! Rock the suit! Work the suit!
Some people are insecure about weight, hyperpigmentation, hair, etc. To those ladies, I say – Wear the suit! Rock the suit! Work the suit!
Here’s some inspiration from the Sofi of @The_Odditty on twitter who encapsulates my sentiments.
Overall the illustration was easy to do. I feel like I’m transitioning from amateur to beginner. I wanted to get the tone right in the skin tone and with the hair. I’m learning more about skin tones, undertones, and hair color. I want the platinum blonde to complement my illustration. Also, I accounted for the brow color, which typically lightens slightly when a black woman changes hair color. I’m proud of the lip color, size, and shape. I feel like I’m finally mastering lips on black women!
Artists each have their own individual style. While I would like to learn how to draw noses and ears, I appreciate the minimalistic style. I don’t want to imitate other people’s styles, and I want to develop my own. However, I’m not sure noses and ears are for me. As mentioned, the illustration was easy to execute. The shadow on the thigh looked distorted; I wasn’t pleased with it. When I looked away from the illustration and came back to it, the thighs looked fine, so I left them. I also think I did a pretty good job with the chest. It’s subtle but shapely. The cover-up was the hardest thing ever! I needed it to be sheer, baggy, folded, and oversized. I also wanted to create a lapel/collar, but I wasn’t successful, so I gave her a robe/kimono style cover-up.
This past month was inspired by two fabulous ladies. The illustration is based on a photo by the reflective, sultry, and intelligent – Toni Tone. Toni Tone is a popular social content creator, most notably known for her introspective and poignant tweets! I found a picture of her in a swimsuit, and it inspired my illustration. I like the idea of drawing a woman with a cover-up, but I wasn’t sure about the portions.
I wanted to add some boldness to the illustration, so I made her blonde. Black women with blonde chef kiss. I already planned on making a short cut for the hair, and the blonde adds that extra je ne sais quoi. For the hair look, I was inspired by TheCutLife and featuring @hairbyuno (model tagged – @strawberriredd).
I hope you all have a fabulous summer and get a chance to wear a bathing suit, as long as it is safe for you and those around you!
