Coiffed

Coiffed

“Coiffed” – a portrait of Satsuki in coloured pencils
September 2015
28 x 28 cm.

In February 2015 I was able to take some photos of Satsuki while she talked to a small collie dog in Gion.  (“Thank you, Little Dog, for being there and for causing Satsuki to stop in her tracks.”)  From my photos I sourced the composition for my drawing “Coiffed”.

Looking at the drawing, do you notice that the black semi-circular shape painted on the wooden panel echoes the shape of Satsuki’s head, hair and kanzashi?  The panel’s wood-grain lines call to mind elegant strands of hair.  Circular and semi-circular shapes repeat throughout the composition. These elements all up to tell a story of not just a ‘good hair day’ but a spectacular hair day.

One of the photographs I took during this brief interchange between Satsuki and collie dog.

“Coiffed” showcases the ‘sakkou‘ hairstyle, worn for just two weeks before an erikae (a maiko’s transition to geiko).  In my earlier drawing “Jewel” (below) you can see Satsuki’s hairstyle from behind.

“Jewel”
Coloured pencils. May 2015 28 x 28 cm.

The final portrait is of Satsuki as I saw her in June 2014.  The pastel colours of the 2014 portrait have been replaced in “Coiffed” by striking and sophisticated black, white and red – colours of formality and celebration.

Satsuki-san
28 x 37 cm. August 2014.

Now I shall take a small break from drawing to return to Kyoto for some more photography.

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