Mucha Tattoos, Painting Progress & Art Shows

After gabbing with my dear friend and muse, Sara Wilkins, last night on the phone I was finally prepared to tackle the tattoos portion of my portrait of her. They are based on the Alfonse Mucha painting "Moët & Chandon - Dry Impérial."

Original Tattoo Sketch. Click to enlarge.

I sketched it out days ago, re-drew it to clean it up, reverse traced a backwards copy on my light table, and then transferred it onto the painting by placing the graphite side of the illustration on my canvas and rubbing the back with a pencil. Cheap, easy transfer method since I don't have a projector. 


Then I mixed a tattoo color out of my mixed skin tone I saved, black, and green. I was going for a semi faded tattoo color. Then it was just trying to keep my shaky hands steady to outline the tattoo. Why is it that there is NEVER a small enough brush? I need a liner brush that is medium length with like two bristle hairs. Then maybe I could get the fine detail I need! Somebody needs to get on this. 


In other BIG news, I will be headlining an art show in Downtown Santa Ana Arts District this upcoming September! I'll keep you posted on more details as I get them. I'm going to be showing mostly these portraits. I want to try to get two more wrapped up for it. I want to paint a bearded man really badly. And a surf rat. I've got a few friends in the queue to do, so we shall see what happens! I'm thinking I won't be getting much work done till after the playoffs. Gotta cheer my Lakers on to victory. Playoffs, baby!


Progress shots of the tattoo painting below. 


-Amy
Listening to: Of Monsters And Men

Current Muse: Oh Land

CURRENT MUSE: Oh Land

I need those feather/chainlink shoulder pads. And those knee highs too while we're at it. Oh Land is a Danish musical act who recently transplanted to Brooklyn, NY. Why are the Danes always so cute?

She reminds me of Brigitte Bardot mixed with Duffy. I just love her style. Quirky and on the edge, but classically sexy at the same time. 

Enjoy the lovely day. Don't get swept up by the tsunami! 

- Amy

Listening to: Ryan Adams' "Is This It"... on vinyl. Oh yeahhhh.

Constellation Tattoos: The Bear, My Current Muse: Marianne Faithfull, & Cat Fights with Kate Moss

Here is the second installment of my poster series/study on constellations for use as tattoos (available now on Etsy!). I want to get a tattoo of a constellation, but I want to make up my own, so I am sketching out my ideas which you guys will then vote on to decide which I will get! The first poster was of a reindeer. Which turned out pretty rad. Items I'd still like to try are a classic car, a motorcycle, a banjo or some other hillbilly instrument, and a jackalope. I think the jackalope is going to turn out amazing. I also really liked the gun constellation I drew in my John Wayne illustration. It's equal parts dainty and tough - like a sexy woman drinking a whiskey straight up. Vote for which of the above you like best. Like I said, We'll pick the best option from each poster and then have a final death match between those winners to see which I should get inked on!

Which Bear Constellation Tattoo do you like best? From top to bottom:

The First The Second The Third The Fourth

[ Marianne Faithfull in The Girl on a Motorcycle. ]

CURRENT MUSE: Marianne Faithfull

Speaking of dainty and tough, I present to you my current muse: Marianne Faithfull. Particularly Marianne Faithfull in The Girl on a Motorcycle directed by Jack Cardiff. Wearing a fur coat on a bike? She's my hero.

Marianne was equally as cool in real life however. Here are a few reasons why:

• She's the daughter of a baroness and a WWII spy.
• The first time f*** was used in a movie was by her in I'll Never Forget What's'isname.
• She was Mick Jagger's special lady. It's said that some of the lyrics in "Wild Horses" are about her and Mick's breakup.
• Went through some crazy ups and downs going from being a member of rock royalty to having a serious drug problem which left her homeless on the streets in SOHO.
• Not only has she collaborated with the Stones, she recently collaborated with Beck, Billy Corgan, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, PJ Harvey, Rufus Wainwright, and Lou Reed. 
• She made an album of covers called Easy Come Easy Go which included her version of songs by Morrissey, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Decemberists, Billie Holiday, and Dolly Parton. Great taste, Marianne.
• She's gnarly. She recently called Kate Moss a "vampire who stole my style." If you've seen her these days, that's a terrifying threat. The drugs didn't do her well. I love Kate Moss and don't think style is any one's to own, but it's kind of rad that ole' Marianne's still got some bite in her nonetheless.

Happy Friday people!

- Amy

Listening to: Beirut's "After The Curtain"