Friday 5 August 2011

Salon self portrait






This is me attempting to draw me as my hair gets tugged at a salon near my house. What has always amazed me is how effortlessly these women (and men these days) at the salon get your hair to do their every bidding while back at home those same docile locks just rebel and do as they please.


This time around I was sitting in this chair for three hours while doing a very long drawn out hair straightening process which involves smearing some goop in your hair, followed by a waiting period, and then they smear some more goop in your hair. Then they wrap up your head in cling-wrap for a bit and you sit there feeling like a lettuce in the fridge. Now all this while I was not doing this sketch. I was correcting an electrical tender document, and managing rather well, all things considered.

After an hour they unwrapped my head and washed the goop away after which the lady started ironing my hair. It was at this point that I did the sketch. The ironing went on for a little under half an hour at which point the ink drawing was done and I put it away. Usually when I sketch in public places, its a good way to start off a friendly chat with the people around me, but this being an up-market salon (or so I assume because of the discreetness of the people working there) not one person said a thing to me as I sketched away. Several people peeked at it and smiled shyly and walked away.

I cam home and did the painting in all enthusiasm and botched up my face. Well, it didn't look like me in the first place anyway.

4 comments:

  1. Wow! The sketch is nicely done and very interesting.
    Its news to me that a visit to the salon takes up such a huge chunk of time.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Kalpana! Love what you have done here. I am an USK member from Chennai. I wonder if we can team up sometime and go to sketch some place here. Do let me know, that'll be loads of fun :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Uma! Thanks for your comment. Would be very very happy to go sketching with you. I work full-days though so a weekend would be good. Not in town this coming weekend so maybe the next? Either 20th or 21st?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Kalpana! 21st Aug works fine with me. Can you please mail me at umaathreya@hotmail.com, we can work out the details. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete