Thursday, March 19, 2009

Fringebangs

Well, things went as they often do.

I had an idea for a kind of themed blog

about 'fringes'

or 'bangs'

Because I have been genuinely in a dither about getting my hair cut.

And I find it quite unnatural to blog about such a feminine self absorbed thing... so I thought it would be a good challenge.

Then I came up with tons of ideas for drawings and narratives.

But I work in a shop a lot of the time.

And I don't have time to make everything perfect and developed...

Especially not 'pointless' blog things.
as much as it pains me.

So what I have is a collection of drawings that does not feel in any way finished with or living up to the ultimate potential of FRINGES as a theme and all the marvellous things it could have been, say, if Marlo had done it. Oh well. it's also probably a document of my mild mental illnesses.

I saw this picture of Penelope Cruz in a magazine, and I thought for a while that I wanted her fringe. I hoped I was too sophisticated to fall into that old trap of thinking you want the woman's hair when actually what you want is her face. But I don't know. I'm not that sophisticated.





I went through this thing where I was transposing fringes onto drawings of myself.

Penelope hair: no.

I was not sure for a long time whether I should get a fringe at all, since my face might be too big and lumpy. When Katie drew me she made me look like someone who shouldn't have a fringe. Like a serious tarty mermaid. I was so happy when I saw this.





When Marlo drew me (Sorry Hannie) she made me look like someone who perhaps should have a fringe but doesn't.





I had some really terrible experiences at hairdressers in the past, that still haunt me. I remember once when it had started to go very wrong in my awkwardest teenage years the lady was trying to make me point to pictures in magazines (so embarrassing) and I pointed to one of an oriental lady... she said 'that's oriental hair, that's different' Oh so stupid! I should have known... best to stay at home and let your hair grow, it's antennas to spiritual awareness anyway isn't it. Never go out.





I've been struggling to return the favour and draw Katie, but I find her tricky, her features are round and cute and they seem to beg for the cartoonyness that I feel out of my depth with... so I've had some right old weird results and I don't think I'm finished.





And Duffy of course... funny old Duffy.

WTF is this and what does it want with me?





Wilful abuse of magic animation pencils





Little Miss transparent nose





The racoon-like gaping monster that my drawings have persisted in turning into for the past ten years... Well, you may spot an actual raccoon in the corner. The middle one is just a piffling personage, perhaps on a par with a Popple.





I actually started drawing models out of magazines... I spend more time in towns now... magazines can become quite alluring when you're daydreaming about things to draw...









Some naked tasteful naff slutty empowered deviantart women wear their fringes quite well.





I had more... I had fully blown theories about forehead shapes and things... unfortunately now I might have lost interest, and confidence in the very foundations of my investigative faculty, I'm sorry.

17 comments:

Chloe Cumming said...

Among the other things I meant to discuss were:

How much forehead I ideally ought to display

Whether little short fringes would just look shit

those trendy eye-tickling fringes... trend fringes that won't last

Other things I was going to draw:

fringes on planet fringe being autonomous

Leanne Battersby off of Coronation Street

trendy idiots

A. Hepburn

Ronnie Spector

Chloe Cumming said...

Also: does having a big forehead give you more options?

Jolie has a biggun and she chooses to leave it bald

Tim said...

I like these images, Chloe.
I've never thought fringes (or bangs as we call them over here) looked good on anyone, but that's just me.
I'm intrigued by "fringes on planet fringe being autonomous".

Lance said...

Thinking about wearing bangs is possibly a way of displaying the thought, "I'm okay with being modern." Which I guess means having long hair with no bangs a way of saying, "I prefer to think of myself in a classical way."

Could be a manifestation of your desire to dive into the world of cartooning. Is it possible to have and have not bangs, existing in both modern and classical worlds?

The latter drawings of Katie made me laugh. They are so alive, they're almost speaking to me!

Chloe Cumming said...

I've thought bout it for ages, I haven't had my hair cut properly for seven years or something. It is very long and tangly so SOMETHING has to be done.

My Grandpa is really dead set against fringes altogether for some reason. He feels quite strongly about it.

I used to have one, last when I was seventeen or so and my hair was quite short. I ended up thinking that it contributed to a dorky blobbiness.

Now my face has lost puppy fat and it would look different.

Sometimes ladies like a change

Re the cartoon world/ modern thing, I know what you mean.... I think I resisted getting a fringe in the past because it felt almost like I was too old and crusty to be trying to be modern and cute in that way. So it would feel like a bad fit.

Then I concluded that that was stupid.

Chloe Cumming said...

I'm not sure if the Marlo image was censored because it was too big or because it had nipples in it.

Nico said...

These are amazing! I could stare at your art for hours and hours. I probably have!

SUCH A CUTE KATIE!!! You nailed her. Hooray!

mootie said...

Hello my daughter, I enjoyed this post ( as usual) but can't now resist putting in my two pennyworth of fringe/bangs opinions... I didn't know that you (as well as Hannie) were going through fringe possibility torment. To my way of thinking ( and you KNOW that mothers are almost always right in these matters) there is a world of difference between heavy, hard, short or geometrical type fringes- pretty much universally WRONG, and softer, wispy or even swooshy fringes which can be an enhancement to a face.... BUT I do understand that it is a big decision, not least because it takes such a long time to get rid of a fringe if you decide you're fed up with it. Personally, I think you will look beautiful whatever you decide on ( with possible exception of the above stated undesirable bangage) Anyway I look forward eagerly to your potential transformation. lots of love and see you on Sunday xxxx m
p.s. I love all the new drawings even if I don't know all the people immortalised

Chloe Cumming said...

Wow thanks Nico! I totally value your input!

Thanks Mummy. I think I prob knew you were no fan of the geometric fringe.

I think the one I get will be broadly of the side sweepy variety.

Anonymous said...

I am sorry for ever putting the idea of you getting your haircut out into the cosmos. It seems to have caused turmoil...but you got some lovely drawings out of it, and this post made me laugh. Do you remember the pics from when I went through my blonde phase and you said I looked like a murderess off Diagnosis Murder? That kind of thing I think would be grand for you. and that is my last input. I accept that I am somewhat hypocritical in my saying you're in turmoil over fringes. wadayagonnado. xx

Chloe Cumming said...

I'm just scared of totally uglifying myself at this crucial time.

Katie said...

Beautiful!! Amazing!!

AHHHHGHGHGHG

I feel very honored and flattered that you drew me. Thank you Chloe!!

I have weird hair and bang theories too...I have a tiny forehead, which looks weird to me, so I like to cover it up with bangs. Longish side-swept ones are good too, because I can cover up one eye, and people won't know that my eyes are too close together! Personally I love how girls look when they can get away with no bangs at all, but alas, I'm not one of them!

Anyhow, you're so pretty Chloe! I think you could probably pull off any look. And with bangs, they grow so fast...even if you cut them too short or in the wrong shape, they'd be wispy side swept ones in no time. I have my own hair fears though, so I can understand your apprehension of getting it changed.

I'm gonna go stare at your new drawings again.

Chloe Cumming said...

Thank you kind Katie. You actually subverted some of my initial ideas about small foreheads right there. Shows what I know! Also sometimes the most stylish people seem to be people who break these rules of tastefulness and flattery.

But I don't think I drew you well enough yet! I felt guilty about it.

If I revisit this topic, or expand upon this blog, I'll draw more bodies to go with the heads.

Bodies allows heads to skip about and exist in harmony with torsos.

Chloe Cumming said...

Hannie,

Well, I tried to make my turmoil into entertainment of a sort.

I think a worry is that I don't have a trusted hairdresser available to me, so I will be taking a punt in walking into a place and hoping to be understood by some arbitrary stranger hair woman.

When I look around, I see a lot of bad weird hair. But I do live in Bridport.

I think I was trying to be complimentary when I said that diagnosis murder thing.

Bradpetehoops said...

You have many funny drawings. Have a nice day.

Anonymous said...

I know, I took it as a compliment. I'll cut your hair if you like. I am 98% confident I'd be very good at cutting hair. x

Fiona Stanbury said...

Hi Chloe! Having been in a similar fringe-torment for 3 years, and having bored my mother,sisters, boyfriend, niece, and anyone else silly enough to listen, (almost to the point of insanity), I have had a plethora of opinions and am still undecided! I've had a fringe and long black hair for most of my life, and grew the fringe out with difficulty 3 years ago. My boyfriend said it didn't suit me! Then my sisters said, 'It's time to cover that wrinkled old forehead.' The artist-side of me said, 'Why should I conform to stereotype images of how I should look, trying to look younger, etc?' At this second of writing, I'm relishing my wrinkled and greasy old forehead's freedom and unfettered exposure to nature's elements. As for tomorrow, I really don't know. Does this help you? (By the way, I love your drawings!) From Fiona, your facebook friend.

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