I found my favourite photographer in the universe - Irving Penn

*In case the way I put it might be slightly confusing: No this is not Irving Penn lol*

I have a habit of googling images whenever I have time. I love drawing portraits of interesting people, but great pictures are really difficult to find. 

As someone who has been drawing (for 3 months ..lol), I can tell you no photograph beats the real thing. Be it still life or portraits, drawing at the actual environment with a natural light source allows the artists to make their own interpretation of the reality. You may hear people saying portraits are artistic representations of the painter, not the sitter. This is very true. The same object painted by 2 different painters must be different. 

Therefore, if someone draws photographs of people taken by someone else, you are actually reproducing the photographer's perspective, instead of creating your own.

This is exactly why art teacher hates his students drawing photographs. (despite I secretly make 2 sketches from photographs per week....lol )

I am very much aware of the shortcomings of drawing photographs, still I think it's a great way to train my skills especially when I have limited resources. But if you have to borrow someone's artistic eyes, make sure you borrow from someone great.

And I am glad I have finally found him.

Irving Penn

If you google Irving Penn what you can find out about him is extremely limited [ Ask Wiki =) ]. I have come across the name when I was looking for pictures of Yves Saint Laurent. And I was completely blown away. His photos were elegant, classic, extraordinary, lively, full of personality, with beautiful light against very simple background. They have everything I love, and everything that I am looking for. It's very difficult to explain why I love them sooooo so so so much. But I find all of his works are extremely captivating. 

As I glanced through his portfolio there were already quite a few photos that I can't wait to draw. And they will be coming really soon :)

Just don't tell my teacher

Duchess of Windsor by Irving Penn

What have I been drawing during Christmas

This is my latest Dali. Might look a little scary but this is exactly how I like it :-P

eyes, eyes, HUGE EYES...

I drew a few of my friends too :)

Dear Mr. Robin Williams

Watched "A night in the museum" on Christmas Eve and couldn't take my eyes off Robin Williams. He had the most beautiful blue eyes and the most amazing smile. 

There is no reason not to capture him in my sketchbook, now full of interesting people :)

Thank you so much for the great movies, dear Mr. Robin Williams

How do I understand art

Art is all about experiments and adventures, no rules, no guidelines. 

Art creates illusion that looks real, or reality that looks surreal.

The best art is always beautiful and ridiculous.  :)

And more Yves Saint Laurent :-P

Good news! Finally found time to draw in my busy December. I have been travelling, studying, reading, exercising...

Bad news, it's yet another Yves Saint Laurent.

I promised myself to move on to draw someone else. There are still a lot of interesting people around but apparently I can't take my eyes off YSL.

It looks like I am hopelessly in love with someone who's dead, and hopelessly gay. He was Prince Charming by definition.

Now read this paragraph from a book that I am reading:

From: The Beautiful Fall: Fashion, Genius, and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris

....And yes, Yves was famous for his beautiful, elegant, long and slender fingers.

More Yves Saint Laurent

 In 1971 YSL lanuched their first perfume for men. Yves Saint Laurent, the founder, designer and the owner of his brand YSL, posed nude for the advertisement. 

What shocked the public, was not only the controversial male nudity, but also his strikingly beautiful body.

At 35, Yves was young, successful, rich and beautiful. He had everything people wished for. But he was also one of the most depressed designers, indulging in drugs and alcohol, slowly killing himself (despite countless rumours about his death since his thirties, Yves passed away at 71, which was....errr..quite impressive)

Yves was known for appearing quiet, timid and nervous when he was younger (despite the fact that he was very good-looking). But he was in fact extremely daring. He made women wearing man's clothes and completely rocked it. He was also proudly gay. 

The human community generally punish people who are different. But Yves was fearless, and being fiercely different is beautiful. 

Apart from Yves, many other top designers like Christian Dior, Coco Chanel also have fascinating life stories that inspire people. It's sad that when people speak of their names nowadays they only refer to the luxury brands. What's truly luxurious, however, is the geniuses' brain. 

***[Updated 7 Dec 2014]***

OK I am addicted. No wonder they call their famous perfume opium. 

I have to stay up till 2:00 a.m. to finish this sketch :p

Yves was just beautiful.

A 50 years snapshot of Yves Saint Laurent

I watched Saint Laurent the movie this weekend with a dear friend of mine. If you're interested and want to watch it as well, make sure you pick someone that is equally interested and shares the same value in life with you. The couple right next to us, fell sound asleep 5 mins into the movie and wasted 3 hours of their lives, literally.

Don't get me wrong it was not a boring movie at all. And I love it more than any movie I've watched in 2014, including the very popular Interstellar (tho I love it very much too). The movie, as the name suggested, was all about Yves Saint Laurent. And I am not going to tell you anything more about it...puahaha.

Instead, my movie review will be done in a form of drawing. This is Yves Saint Laurent in his twenties and seventies.

A genius's 50 years. How precious.
What had changed, what stayed the same?