Candy Cigarette Girl
- Jan 31
- 2 min read
The challenge to capture poignancy
Based on Sally Mann's 1989 "Candy Cigarette", I started this painting in an after work get-together at a friend of a friend's basement back in 2011. We would all do something in art for a few hours every Wednesday. I was wanting to capture the maturity in the young girl's expression in Sally Mann's photo. Getting it to be looking like a little girl, not an adult woman, let alone to have it have the same haunting look was going to be a challenge to the max. But I always get super motivated for these self chosen pushes into something I haven't tried yet.
I never finished it.
Well, not until in 2016 where I decided to try again to finish it. I finished it for what I could muster without getting frustrated. I couldn't see what needed to be changed. So this was where I called it just to not get so frustrated with how I couldn't figure out what needed fixed on her.
She stayed that way until another go at it years later in 2019.
I changed the lighting on her face and arms and hand. Added detail to hair. The dress didn't change much as that looked OK. I think the background was something that I could make my own that isn't a blurry photo background. I chose to do the background based on the Magnolia Home Fox & Hare wallpaper.
Does she look like she has the maturity I originally saw? I think so. If at least just a little. Not in the intensity she originally expressed. But I'm still happy with this final finished look that I feel I don't need to go over it again.
Art Drop Day
I loved this painting so much, I made some prints to pass out on Art Drop Day. It's something I haven't been able to participate in as much as I would like to, but have loved doing so when I've gotten the time.
The challenge to capture a look, a vibe expressed in the subtle ways the face and eyes are something I seek out a lot. Since this painting, I have done a several paintings of figures doing a pose or a look that intrigue and inspire me. I can't say I have a huge success rate on getting the looks to my liking, but I don't think I will stop seeking out the challenge to finally capture the vibe I was seeing in someone.
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