The Medusa

It’s an interesting mix, really. It’s partly based on Medusa, partly on Bridget Riley and has an oriental face. In essence, it’s a huge composition that has made me focus a lot on the texture of the hair and the background, which is kind of psychedelic so that’s fun too. In all, it’s quite a striking piece I’d say.

The first drawings I did were a series of self-portraits which are, well, a little unusual to say the least. You’re just staring at yourself for an usually long time and then trying to put the idea to paper. Not really an enjoyable experience, I’d say. Yes I’ve got a big nose and saggy eyes and wayward hair and I didn’t quite appreciate that before I drew it. You start thinking if that’s what you really look like all the time.

But then it did help me with the next pictures I published. It was a transition in terms of copying all the photographs of all these women and then bringing that style into hair, and other intricate things. I usually cheat a little bit in terms of the shading and the depth. Shading has always been hard for me, I think. I tend to go either too hard or too soft with it.