new artblog/test entry

Hi, I'm starting this art-blog to record my latest ideas, sketches, and what-not.

Starting off this week is a simple marker drawing of Lou Doillon—no pencilling, just straight marker to paper. I bought a large pack of regular Crayola markers to emulate the type of drawings my older sister and I would make back in the day. I'll write more about my sister in upcoming posts. I'll also put up some of her drawings from the 80's and early 90's. Unfortunately, the Lou sketch is based only on a photo—hence the flat dimensions and lack of detail. The photo is from handbag.com or something like that. I would prefer not to do any drawings from photos, but since I don't usually have time to draw from life during the weekday s (I have a full-time job art-directing and designing stuff at a children's book publisher), it's the best thing to do sometimes. Anyway, Lou is sort of my fashion muse this month. Even though I've known about Jane Birkin, and Serge and Charlotte Gainsbourg for a long time, the first time I saw Lou was in a Gap advertisement a couple of years ago. At the time, I thought "who's that girl?", but now I've noticed she's in more magazines lately, like this month's Paper Magazine.

I'm also working on another t-shirt design for myself—this time based upon the lettering and colours of the awning on a local coffee shop here in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It's Maria's Coffee Shop, where I get donuts and snacks maybe once a week or so. Sometimes I get a smoothie there, too. I like the magenta awning with bold white lettering because it's sorta retro-late-seventies/early eighties. It conjures up thoughts of blockbuster/straight letter style graffiti on a subway train lit up by streetlights and glowy neon nights. There's a cool poster inside of the shop with a totally 80's design which I will photograph and post this week as well.

Best,
Henry