Throughout my art career I have always been drawn to the classical and traditional styles of drawing and painting. My inspiration has been heavily influenced by the human figure and portrait. The approach I take within my own work incorporates classical realistic drawing techniques. My final drawing destination is to pinpoint the essence of a moment in time, as if the viewer caught a quick snapshot of the image through my lens.
Longing, charcoal on toned paper, 36 x 19" (91 x 48 cm) My friend Victoria was also the inspiration behind this drawing. I have drawn her time and time again and each time is set of different, wonderful challenges. I took many reference photos of her but this pose struck something in me, her melancholic stance of longing is a universal feeling. In this drawing I began with a simple lay in and built up the drawing, staying mostly within the tone of the paper. I strayed from pushing my darkest and lightest values in the very beginning so the drawing would possess a sense of uniformity with the base gray tone of the paper.
In every work of art I have created thus far I have taken an individualistic approach for each set of obstacles that have come with it. I enjoy blending my techniques to optimize the outcome of each and every project. I thoroughly enjoy (or take much pride in) taking my own reference photos typically of my family and close friends.
Nassia, charcoal on hand toned paper, 12½ x 11" (31 x 27 cm) I have always been inspired by the Gibson Girl drawings by Charles Dana Gibson with their big marvelous hair, and this drawing is my homage to that. I drew this on hand-toned paper that I made with a mixture of black and brown ink. Like all my drawings, I begin with a methodical line drawing to get my accurate proportions then work from dark to light to maintain a virtuous set of values. To obtain my lightest lights I used white gouache, which also aided in some subtle texture. Her gaze and prominent Middle Eastern features are awe-inspiring for me as a fellow Middle Eastern woman.
Victoria, charcoal on white paper, 24 x 15" (60 x 38 cm) I began this drawing with a very disciplined construction drawing, and that is always the most arduous part of a drawing for me. I like to get my shapes as accurate as possible in the beginning, so there is less struggling throughout the whole drawing process. The inspiration for this drawing is my dearest friend, Victoria, and who she is as a person. I desired to capture her beauty and essence. I am no fan of changing a person in a drawing or painting in order to fit them in the mold of idealized beauty. I aim to represent the person naturally.
1st gen, charcoal on white paper, 36 x 24" (91 x 60 cm) This drawing is of my beautiful and graceful grandmother, Zahra. This drawing is part of a series consisting of my grandmother, my mother and me. The inspiration behind this drawing is my own culture and the strong women who have to endure so much living in the Islamic Republic of Iran. I have my grandmother draped in the most conservative Islamic veil to show the different generational gaps. My mother will be in the veil worn right after the revolution of 1979, and I will be in the modern veil worn today. This drawing and the other two were shown at the LCAD Gallery at the Laguna College of Art + Design in California in May 2021.
About the Artist
Melissa MalloryMelissa Mallory is an Iranian-American contemporary realist working out of Southern California. She began her artistic endeavors at the age of 14 and since has developed a great love for the traditional and academic way of drawing and painting. She attended the Laguna College of Art + Design, obtaining her Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing and painting. Her primary method of drawing features the figure and portrait often done in charcoal on white and toned paper. Her inspiration is continuously sparked by black and white photography with their high contrast and graphic details. She believes that the use of charcoal effectively expresses her love for these images. The subject matter of her work stems from her multicultural upbringing and identity of being both Iranian and American, and in her drawings she ventures to merge the two. Along with creating works surrounding her Iranian identity, she explores drawing the figure. She carries out a unique process which incorporates contrasting values along with variation of edge to demonstrate a strong, engaging and representational image. Outside of her art education she enjoys teaching art to children, teenagers and adults. In the near future, she aims to obtain her MFA and teach at the college level.
Contact at
melissalmallory@gmail.com