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Alene β Himba Tribeswoman
Published: 2006-08-04 02:24:43 +0000 UTC; Views: 6527; Favourites: 184; Downloads: 194
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Description
Far, far too long ago, suggested that I dry a drawing of a different ethnicity. About a year ago I started this, but various things, such as homework, prevented my finishing it. Then summer came, and the air-conditioner 'set' all of the drawings in this sketchbook (our airconditioner is as good as a fixative spray, I swear). But, two nights ago, I dug it out again, to see what I could salvage, and finished this.So, this is a Himba Tribeswoman.
The drawing is *old*, but I still like it.
Materials: Quill 110gsm sketching paper, 0.5 mechanical pencil with #B lead, #8B solid graphite pencil, blending stumps, cotton buds, tissues, plastic and kneaded erasers.
Time taken: Over the space of a year, about 12 hours.
Size: A4
Enjoy!
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Comments: 173
Thank you, and thanks for the 
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Wow, Β you have a really great talent for drawing people. Β I really love this one!
Also, fun fact: I just finished writing a paper on the Himba. O.o
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Thank you so much!Β
What an interesting subject to write a paper on! It's a while since I had to write a paper, but all the more recent ones were all to do with design. 
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You're welcome!
The Himba are a very fascinating people and I actually really enjoyed learning about them (Then again, I'm a sucker for just about any culture that's different from my own) but I must admit, I'll be happy when I get into my major and don't have to write so many papers anymore.
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Other cultures can be really fascinating, and also help us to look at our own cultures with fresh eyes, I think. It's too easy to go along without actually considering the importance of the things we do in our daily lives. I often do a bit of research into other cultures for various illustrations β either for my job or for pleasure β and have to work hard not to get distracted into reading about stuff that isn't important for what I'm doing, it's all so interesting.
What is your major?Β
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I know what you mean!
I'm hoping to be a Studio Art Major. Β I haven't yet decided whether to emphasize in 2D or 3D, though.
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That sounds nice! I did design rather than art β the art classes at university were known for people leaving critiques in floods of tears, so I think I was better off in the soulless, commercial end of the creative courses.
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the greatest portrait with pencil i've ever seen
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This is absolutely beautiful. You have a TON of skill! Her beautiful face and expression is priceless
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Thank you so much, and for the
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You certainly have exceptional skills to produce this exquisite portrait in only 12 hours, simply breathtaking. When you say quill, do you mean a dip pen? I really love the chiaroscuro effects you have going here too, and the detail and accuracy is superb, I'm so glad you salvaged this one to share with us.
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Oh, thank you so much! I take a lot longer to produce portraits now βΒ generally they're bigger, and more detailed, and take me at least twice as long.
Quill is the brand of sketching paper I used. I like it as it has a medium grain which takes the pencil well, but lets me blend and get small details. I do use a dip pen, but not for portraits. 
Thank you for the
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You're welcome. Lots of old film stars in your gallery. How did you get interested in them?
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I'm not sure. It was probably a combination of me becoming addicted to musicals when I was 13 (after seeing Kiss Me Kate) and my father liking old TV shows - and then I just branched out. I'm not very fond of a lot of modern movies, I much prefer the old ones.
Anyway, old hollywood photos are much more fun to draw than modern ones.
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The old stars did have style and class.
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This is amazing! You are truly talented with the medium. I know I'll be echoing others when I say this, but I honestly thought it was a photograph when I first saw the thumbnail of the image. You captured the lighting on her face, the texture of her hair and skin and the stone behind her, all so realistically.
Just... phenomenal.
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Oh, thankyou so much! What a lovely comment!
And thanks for the
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It's amazing. I had to open it to make sure it wasn't a photograph. Absolutely stunning!!!
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Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it!
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Just beautiful. I love how the lighting draws your eye to her face and eye. She looks so alive, like you just snapped a photograph and she's about to turn an look at you. I can see a whole person here, with a mind, a personality and a past--I don't know what it is, but I can see that it's there, just beneath the surface. It's entrancing.
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What a lovely comment, thankyou so much!
I think I like drawing eyes the best when I'm doing portraits. If you do it right, you give the whole picture a personality, and if you do it wrong, the subject is lifeless and blank. I always start with the eyes - if they don't come alive, the whole picture is abandoned, because there's really no point to it; better to start over!
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This is one of my favourite pieces in all of dA. Great, great, job.
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Thankyou so much! I'm really glad you like it!
And thanks for all the
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oh, how coul i have missed this. such a beautiful piece - and the flawless blend of her skin is amazing.
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Thanks so much! That means a lot, coming from you and your wonderful gallery!
I'm so glad you like her, and thanks for the
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you are welsome, although i don't consider my work to be so special at all. plus you seem to have a patience with details i'll never be able to achieve. i positively envy that.
sorry for my belated answer, i just returned from italy.
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You may not have the patience (or insanity) to do so many details as I do, but I do love your style. Of course, one never considers one's own work to be as good, I know, but take it from me: it's lovely!
Lucky you to have been in Italy!
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YOU are lucky to be in australia
i guess everybody wishes to see faraway lands. going on vacation to italy is rather common among us germans. we avoided mainstream by visiting umbria instead of tuscany, because the former region is lesser known and you can actually find authentic italian cities and culture. whenever we crossed the border to the tuscan region all we heard was american english. or dutch. or german.
we had a great time. it was fantastic to be able to be see raphael, cimabue, signorelli and piero della francesca artworks with my own eyes after only knowing them from thick art history books.
but i guess i'll be traveling to an english speaking country next year. actually understanding natives and being able to converse with them beyond "prego" and "grazie" is something i terribly missed there.
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Have you ever been here?
Generally I'm pretty happy where I am, but months of solid working is apt to make holidays, (preferably as far away from my desk as possible) sound very appealing!
It's good to hear you had a good time - dismal holidays are one of the worst things!
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no, i've never been out of europe before. reason: financial issues more than anything else. i have a decent job now, so it may be possible next summer
hope you'll get out of your chains soon. you are right: just a few days away from everything are refreshing - it doesn't have to exotic travelling necessarily.
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Ah. I've been to England a few times, and taken in Malaysia and etc, but you're right, it's getting really so expensive! Hopefully you'll get to go somewhere new next year then!
So do I! No prospect until November, though. I've got a whole picture book to illustrate and a mini thesis to write before then. 
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sounds interesting! i wish you inspiration and endurance for both of your projects.
being a slave to your work always begins to effect one's creative flow after a certain time. so time off is important. how about treating yourself to a day at the spa instead of a lengthy vacation?
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Thankyou! I need it! I've been being very productive today, and am now exhausted!
It does indeed! Oddly enough, I've never even been to a spa. Any health and beauty regime I have I do for myself. I did give myself a quick pedicure last night, though.
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i'm usually no "my body is my temple" fanatic but stress is something that will affect your physiology hard - you may not notice it now, but your body will remember in a few years. i made that mistake myself and have to suffer from it. last year i felt like an old woman (was only 27 then). it took an almost radical change in my attitude to get myself back on the road to a healthy life. don't make that mistake, take care of yourself.
and have fun while you're at it!
a massage sounds heavenly. if that person yelled at you for nothing then i guess she(?) didn't need your money. choose another, then. you don't pay somebody to insult you (outside of *certain* recreation establishments
p.s.: sorry for the delayed answer, i currently have some trouble with my stock business ... a license problem ... a large german multimedia discounter has a very relaxed opinions about how to use my image...
p.s.s.: this talk is getting very off-topic. we can continue to chat via IM client if you are up to it?
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I try not to stress too hard. And I'm much less stiff than I was, too, so all is happy!
You know something? I don't have IM. Isn't that disgraceful of me? Not that I really have time for it, anyway.
Good luck sorting out your licensing problems!
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there are more important things than using an IM, true. i just depend on it since i got my new job. nice colleagues, perfect equipment, but located in in the armpit of the universe. outside communication essential for survival.
thanks for your good wishes and take care!
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What a wonderful description!
I don't spend all that much time actually sitting at my computer, either (unless I'm doing a digital painting or something) I see if I have a message here when I open my browser to look for references or something like that, and it can take me hours to get around to replying. IM would require my sitting here too much, away from my desk and my lovely drawing paper! Not a good thing! Anyway, it wouldn't do to be too distracted
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well, you DO reply very fast anymway. *g*
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Yes, she's very beautiful! I'm so glad you like it! Thankyou!
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Wow. This is really amazing. When I saw the thumbnail, I thought it was a photograph. So pretty.
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Thankyou so much, and thanks for the
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