Hopi Girl

Just to get things going here I decided to show you something I did for my sister a couple years ago. My sister has always had a love for Native American art so, of course, I had to draw her something she’d like. I chose a Hopi Girl because i thought it was very unique and unexpected. We all have our preferences and mine has always been drawing with charcoal. I feel like I have more control with a pencil rather than paint. I’ve never been comfortable with paint.

I would have shown more steps but I only have a couple photos so we’ll make due with what we have. The only training I have in art is from high school (ages ago) so my techniques are pretty much my own and I just do it as I think it should be done.

I’m sure there are some professional artists who will say, “WHAT!?” But that’s okay….I do what I do because I enjoy it. When no one shows you how to do it you end up creating your own techniques and that can make it stand apart from another person’s work.  …or that’s what I like to tell myself.

The photo below is the one I used which I found online and like I said, I thought it was unique.  It’s not the stereotype vision most people have when they think of Native American which is why I like it so much.

Below was my basic sketch….

Below is the finished project, unframed.  (I made my sister buy her own frame! ha)  I tend to gradually fade out the shadowing as I get to the edge of the paper.  Again, it’s just my thing…

And there you have it, The Hopi Girl.  I usually have a hard time with the lips….I think I redid them several times.  I had the most fun with hair, of course!

I am just guessing here but I’m thinking the Hopi hairstyle was the inspiration for Princess Leia’s famous and iconic double bun hair-do in the Star Wars movies.  I didn’t research it but that will give you something to do.

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