This time let me share how I painted portrait of this badass lady. Maud Wagner, born in 1877 was a first known female tattoo artist in the US. She was working for various travelling circuses, when she met her future husband Gus Wagner. Together they began travelling the USA and spreading coolness of tattoos across the land and especially inland – away from the cities, into the countryside.
Here you can see the process of painting. For portraits I usually like to start with grisaille underpainting – simple black and white sketch of the future picture. Here I was paying attention mostly to the tattoos and the values of black and white, much more than Maud’s face. I knew I could fix likeliness of the face at the later stages, but that the tattoos will be a real challenge, for which I need a solid underpainting. This is also how I progressed – working on the tattoos and concentrating on facial features as the last.
You can also see that there is a key laying on the table. I added it there but I will not tell you why, because this shall remain a secret.
Saying that, I will leave you with this great song from Zombina and the Skeletons. I have a flu already since five days, my nose runs like it would be having marathon tomorrow and my temperature just jumps up and down uncontrollably and it is very annoying. Most stupid of it all is, that while feeling like poo, I keep testing negative on Covid, so apparently it is not corona and it is not going to give me any immunity. In mentioned state, I identify deeply with the song’s lyrics…
Don’t go into the light my infested love
Remove your wail and your sunglasses so
we can all see what’s left from your face
Oh let us bath in your ugliness!
Zombina and the Skeletons – Don’t go Into the Light
What do you think about Maud Wagner, wasn’t she cool? Leave me a comment! Also, see my other works in the Gallery.