Naomi Campbell
Medium: Graphite & charcoal pencils on archival paper – 70.5 x 54cm (27.8 x 21.3 inches)
Naomi Campbell
Story
At a time where diversification wasn’t as open and accepted as it may be today, in 1988, a model by the name of Naomi Campbell became the first black model to appear on the cover of French Vogue Magazine. She later became one of the most famous models of her time.
My very first time seeing NaomiCampbell was in the late pop star Michael Jackson’s music video “In the Closet”. Following her journey through the years I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity of drawing her whilst she continues to soar in her career.
Countless photographic images and videos watched and studied before putting pencil to paper. I felt I had a sufficient amount of material to capture Naomi Campbell in away I felt depicted the essence of her
beauty outwardly as well as within.
Out of all the references studied I drew most of my inspiration from a photograph taken by photographer, Horst Diekgerdes. The image he captured of Naomi resonated most with how I deeply imagined her to be. A woman who exudes grace and charm so effortlessly, but also one who is strong and impenetrable. A woman who stands the test of time.
My drawing of Naomi Campbell took over 200 hours and was drawn with charcoal and graphite pencils on cartridge drawing paper. Persevering through a time where overt discrimination was very open, Naomi Campbell continued to journey through reaching greater heights in her career.
Her perseverance and success has now made her an Icon in the eyes of society and an inspiration to aspiring models of all backgrounds.
