Creating Neo Deco - 28-07-25

Website link: https://corneakkers.com/neo-deco-28-07-25/
Print: https://corneakkers.com/print-neo-deco-28-07-25/
Printable: https://corneakkers.com/product/printable-neo-deco-28-07-25/

Light and Fluffier

This graphite pencil drawing ‘Neo Deco – 28-07-25’ is lighter and fluffier than last one. Finally, I managed to keep forms open again! Something similar to Neo Deco – 13-07-25. That one I specifically like because it more or less came into existence effortlessly. Lately, I am starting to realize a trained artist has to do less effort. Instead, listen more to his or her inner urges. Last night was a great night because I felt relaxed. Perhaps that has something to do with the fact I already made a lot of drawings this month. So I felt no worries or pressure for that matter. However, there is this dogma that keeps on lingering in my mind: to produce at least one artwork per day. Both my legal disciplinary background as my commercial side are talking here. It can kill spontaneity and creative forces though. My strong side is my handicap.

Some Minor Issues to Solve

There you have it: my state of mind rules the quality of my artworks. This having said, there were some minor issues to solve in this artwork as well. The reference photo I was inspired by was Roger Schall’s. Quite alright and I like the boxy kind of pose of Assia Granatouroff. It lended itself perfectly for abstraction but I did not follow the entire tonal range he captured with his camera. Next to this, the hand resting on her knee wasn’t that pausibly visible. Therefor I drew a well defined pinky. Last but not least, the hair. Assia must have had a bad hair day because her hairdo looked like an exploded head of endive. Very amorphous looking and that’s why I deciced to style it up a bit, structuring more curly waves of hair.

Tonally Just about Right

The goal was to get just enough of the tones right in order for people to recognize the pose and anatomy. No need to worry about defining the feet for that matter. The tones will do their job and they are more abstract looking that they let on at first sight. Personally I like how the subtle angular shoulder blades turned out. Such angularity compensates for the complex yet pleasing round forms Assia carries around.

Graphite pencil (Faber Castell, Pitt Graphite Matt, 14B) drawing on Fabriano Ingres paper (21 x 28.2 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers