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Saturday, July 28, 2012

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo did many many self portraits. I've been reading about and learning about her life
for the first time ever. I know, slow to the game.
I find her life fascinating.
Earlier in the week I was feeling a bit of the blues over
events in the greater world
and was drawn to use her self portrait on the cover of a book I
recently purchased called Frida Kahlo The Paintings by Hayden Herrera as a drawing subject.
 I drew it with my .05 Pitt Pen black ink doing lots and lots of cross hatching to get the darkness of her hair and the monkey.
 I show you the book cover, but ask you NOT to compare mine to hers, but to merely acknowledge me doing this in my own style. I took my translucent watercolors to paint my drawing.
Poor Frida was blue a lot of her life as she suffered from physical and emotional pain. Her art was her therapy as she worked through so many losses and some highlights of her life as well. She was also someone to greatly admire for her perseverance and fortitude and for her great artistic talent.

31 comments:

  1. Many people like Freda. Your rendition is nice. I hope you are feeling better after this exercise.

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  2. Its really quite well done, especially with the way you draw with just ink and no erasing. We all know who it is. The book on her life was an interesting read.

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  3. Immediately recognizable but with a style all its own. Your own spin on the portrait. Fun! There's an excellent movie about Frida's life, appropriately called "Frida," that came out several years ago, starring Salma Hayek. Worth watching for the gorgeous colours alone.

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  4. I like your interpretation; Frida was a fascinating woman.

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  5. NIce job. I suggest renting the movie about her starring Salma Hayek it is very good.

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  6. I'm a huge Frida fan and I admire the time that went into your drawing. Very nice. You might enjoy The Diary of Frida Kahlo which is a handwritten account with drawings which span over ten years. Interpretation of the pages are at the back of the book.

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  7. You have done a fabulous job Lynn! I am fascinated by her life also. A perfect illustration of how art can be such good therapy. I loved the movie too!

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  8. What an interesting post Lynn...have to admit I've never heard of this lady!:( Love your drawing and that monkey is so cute!

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    1. Ann,Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist of some renoun. She was married to Diego Rivera a muralist artist of Mexico. She was born in 1907. She suffered from polio as a young girl, and a very bad bus accident later injured her more severely and left her with a life time of chronic physical pain. Her marriage to Rivera was rocky at best, but she loved him (much older than she). She painted in Mexico, and in Europe and the US. I think you would find her life history fascinating, as I have, and her art is symbolic and beautiful.

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  9. Wonderful capture of the essence of Frida ~ well done ~~ thanks, namaste, (A Creative Harbor)

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  10. Nice piece, like your vibrant colors.

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  11. OMG! I love Frida and those haunting eyes and eyebrows! She always did pour out her heart and wear it on top of her chest! Great drawings!

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  12. Well, I recognized her immediately! :)

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  13. too bad i gave away one of my frieda books not long ago. love love the monkey esp. in your painting i mean.

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  14. Frieda is such an inspiration to us all. You captured her so well in your own style. Love it!

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  15. I'm a big fan of Frida. I also feel like I learned a lot from the movie about her life starring Salma Hayek. This is a great depiction of her in watercolor as well as the monkey. (And I wouldn't compare your work to her painting because when I'm trying to copy art or photos, and I post my work, I never post the original for the same reason. No point in comparing one piece to another.)

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  16. Back when I taught high school art I used to use Frida all the time and she always resonated with classes... there is something universal about her work and you have captured it well... hope you enjoy learning more...xx

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  17. I would have recognized her even without seeing the book you used as a reference. Well done!

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  18. a beautiful woman with a mustache. i saw the movie and it is good. i know of freda also from marianne, who adores her, and lo, who also painted her.

    you are taking on some nifty subjects, lynn. good for you!

    love
    kj

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  19. Hi, I'm afraid to say, I know of her but don't know much about her... I must put that right. Love your painting, great job.. :)

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  20. The only good thing Diego did for her was to introduce her to art when she was flat on her back. He installed a mirror above her bed and said "now draw!" That's why she did so many self portraits, many if them tortured as she was in so much pain after being impaled on that bus.

    An interesting woman, for sure!

    Nice job Lynn! I'm glad you're learning about her.

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    1. I know he was a womanizer and that was very painful to her of course; but he also, from what I read, fullfilled many needs she had, one being 'a mother figure' of all things, a nuturerer. (with his large female like body, apparently). I find the whole story interesting, mesmerizing almost. He also took her with him to Europe and to the US and through him she met many other famous artists and others who in turn benefited her life. She lived at a time when women and especially women artists were not so independent to move around as much as she was able with Diego.

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  21. Hi, Lynn, I have been working on my cards for sale page, hope that you will stop by and have a look and please tell me if you dont like the way it turned out. I have to add more of my Ladys there but it takes so much time.
    I love your Frida painting, I think she was a great artist. Sometimes my students draw Frida and all the doodeling around her and they like it very much, first I read them the story of Frida. I have to try to draw her my self..
    Please stop by SiggaDisArt-4sale.blogspot.com

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  22. Hello Lynn, your Frida has your style end fresh peps to it, she glows and the bright colors are so lovely!

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  23. Your Frida interpretation is great. We just discussed her life and art a few weeks ago in Art History class at school. What a tragic life of pain and suffering she had gone through. Thanks for sharing. :)

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  24. Good composition, excellent tribute to Frida. Greetings.

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  25. Lovely. I'm sure she would love the rendition. Are you going to do self portraits of your own?

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  26. I do like your style. Nice done. I'm a Frida fan as well. Nice to meet you.

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  27. Wow you did a great job!! You should pick up the movie too! It's quite good! I enjoyed it!

    Hugs Giggles

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Thanks for leaving your comments as I love hearing from you. Your words of encouragement are why I continue to draw!