Grass Dancer Boy

September 18, 2024September 19, 2024Leave a comment

I recently completed a commission for an illustration of a little indigenous boy performing as a grass dancer. The client advised me on what details to include to make him look authentic, since she is indigenous and I am not. She wanted it to match that illustration I made a few years ago of a girl in a jingle dress.

A line drawing of an indigenous boy performing as a grass dancer. His traditional regalia has a bear motif and V-shaped stripes.

Number 60 of 150

April 21, 2023March 20, 2023Leave a comment

This old guy’s in western wear from his boots to his bolo tie.

A cartoon illustration of an elderly Indigenous American man. He's standing with one hand on his hip and one raised in a gesture. He's smiling. His long gray hair is worn loose. He's wearing jeans, cowboy boots, a pink button-up shirt, and a turquois and silver bolo tie.

Number 59 of 150

April 19, 2023March 20, 2023Leave a comment

Here’s an old lady in a ribbon skirt with bead earrings.

A cartoon illustration of an elderly Indigenous American woman. She's standing, waving, and smiling. She is wearing a traditional ribbon skirt, low heels, and a red blouse. She has a shell bead necklace and beaded earrings. Her long gray hair is in two braids.

Number 58 of 150

April 17, 2023April 17, 2023Leave a comment

More beaded jewelry. I hope we didn’t overdo that detail. We may have.

A cartoon illustration of a middle-aged Indigenous American man. He's standing with one hand up as if gesturing as he speaks. He's wearing a black sweatshirt, khaki pants, and black sneakers. He has a beaded necklace and his long, black hair is in a low braid. He has a larger body type.

Number 57 of 150

April 15, 2023April 17, 2023Leave a comment

Our first adult. Beaded jewelry is fun to draw. So was the pattern on her sweater. The pose the client initially requested had her looking down at her wristwatch. Then they changed their mind and wanted her waving.

A cartoon illustration of a middle-aged Indigenous American woman. She is standing and waving. She is wearing glasses and beaded earrings. She has jeans, cowboy boots, a t-shirt, and a white, red, and blue patterned cardigan. Her black hair falls to just past her shoulders and is slightly wavy.

Number 56 of 150

April 13, 2023March 20, 2023Leave a comment

The last child for this batch, with groovy tie-dye.

A cartoon illustration of an Indigenous child aged 10-12. They are walking towards the left while waving. They have their long, black hair in two braids and their smile shows a slight gap between their two front teeth. They are wearing jeans, red sneakers, and a pink tie-dyed t-shirt with a tribal-style bear paw print.

Number 55 of 150

April 11, 2023March 20, 2023Leave a comment

A boy with longer, shaggy hair. The hair reference the client gave me for this one was a picture of D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Bear Smallhill in Reservation dogs.

I’m not really sure why, but some of the characters in this project were supposed to be drawn with them holding up their hand(s) as if holding something. This was a collaborative project, with different artists handing different parts, so that’s not too weird. But I was never told what they were to be holding. Any guesses?