When is an illustration more than an illustration?  When Liz Lomax does it!  Here, Liz shares the process that went into the making of a recent portrait of Amy Winehouse.  Drawing, sculpting, painting, powdering, set design, lighting and photography all play a role.  And Brillo- don’t forget the Brillo.
 
“I start with a very rough sketch, gestures that don’t need to be understood by anyone but me. Obviously the art director receives a tighter drawing, but these are my notes to myself”




“From there I move directly into the sculpture. Here she is baked but missing hands and feet, and most importantly... no HAIR!”




“A couple of Brillo pads rolled in black acrylic paint and shaped accordingly form the base of the hair. The long strands are fake fur fabric, also dipped in acrylic and pulled into longer strips.”




“Her face gets painted with oil.”




“Her dress, painted with acrylic.”




“She sits on a mound of baby powder and is shot against seamless white.”




“After being shot, she’s surrounded with other sculpted and photographed elements, most of them her tattoos.”




Why Amy?  “Simply because she’s so fascinating to me- She’s extremely talented and, sadly, like watching a train wreck in slow motion…”