Creating Sans Titre – 30-10-24 (Lauren Bacall)

Website link: https://corneakkers.com/sans-titre-30-10-24-lauren-bacall/
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Ms Bacall

This graphite pencil drawing ‘Sans Titre 30-10-24’ is inspired by a picture of Lauren Bacall in a satin dress. Not the first time though I immortalized her in graphite. Back in 2014 I only drew her portrait. This time the focus is entirely on the dress. Yet again I have to admit to my satin fetish. Before you think I am a pervert it’s only for the sake of art. These shiny glitters simply keep on fascinating me. Since I consider myself a true tonalist these subtle shifts in tonal values are my very cup of tea.

Value Added?

Starting this drawing I had it in me to apply a cubist style like I did with Anna Sten for example. However, taking a closer look at the dress and its folds I came to a different conclusion. The folds and glimmers were too perfect to be ruined my by type of cubism. Then again, in the process of drawing I soon realized I was only copying it. Even though the head already had a mild cubist styling I decided to cancel that too. Back to square one so to speak because what value I could add to the scenery? Then I remembered the phenomenon of Inktober; something I never participated in. For no particular reason I hardly work with ink but combined with the approaching Halloween I had an idea.

Film Noir

What if I would be able to create a ‘Film Noir’ kind of scenery? After all, she was considered to be a leading lady in many a movie of that ilk. Risky for sure because I could ruin all the glitz I meticulously and successfully realized. However, it was either this or consider myself a mere joke because of sheer copying a photo. Besides that, I was also curious about the result. The initial idea was to put celebrity moviestar Humphrey Bogart in the background. Therefor I had AI create a picture of Bogie in front of a window backlit by the moon. After careful consideration I decided not to incorporate him. The drawing would be packjammed with too much of a good thing.

Two Sorts of Lighting

So there it was, Lauren alone but I kep the moonlight and the window. Not a big fan of AI but it did its job to come up with a plausible reference picture. In the final stage I decided to let a light shine on her lap. This way I created two sorts of lighting: one from the back and one in the front. Such adds to the mystery of an enigmatic actress I always loved to see on screen. An homage to art deco, Film Noir, class and style you hardly find in these modern times.

Graphite pencil (Faber Castell Pitt Graphite Matt pencil 14B) drawing on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29,7 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers