The Sleeping Gypsy

Although I really liked having Les demoiselles on the wall for the past month, we're having a lot of visitors to the apartment in the next few weeks, and several naked prostitutes is not really the "welcome to our home" look we're going for, especially in regards to our three-year-old nephew and one-year-old niece.*

So, I wanted something kid-friendly (sorry Frida Kahlo) but nothing too boring, and I thought immediately of Henri Rousseau's The Sleeping Gypsy. I've always loved how bright and colorful this painting is. It almost feels like something out of a picture book, but it's quite a complicated painting with really interesting colors.

Oh, colors. Sometimes I feel like I should quit trying to replicate oil paintings with my little chalkboard and just stick to works rendered in chalk--it's just tougher to blend colors together. Although here I was pretty happy with how it turned out, the original sky is just so lovely and I was disappointed I wasn't able to capture it exactly.

Still, it was a lot of fun to draw, especially the gypsy woman's multi-colored robe and purple hair, and I loved taking a closer look at the details, like her peaceful expression or the lion's big, wide-open eye. Here's hoping the kiddos enjoy it too.

Dave's first-view response: (Hmm... I don't remember, because he was in the apartment the whole time I was drawing. Actually, he was asleep on the couch and at one point I looked over and saw our dog standing over him and sniffing his face. It was pretty surreal/awesome)

*I told Dave I wanted to avoid a "Have you ever seen a grown man naked?" moment. The reference was greatly appreciated.

 I love the woman's little extended pinkie

 That eye! So much emotion in one little gesture.

 Rockin' purple hair and a sweet smile

 Oh lute. The lute and the jug were the last things I drew,
which means they got the "I'm tired and don't care if this is wonky" treatment

 The crags and crannies on the moon are gorgeous in close-up

The original painting. See how the sky almost lifts up out of the frame? Sigh...