Blonde c. 1925

Rolf Armstrong made this dreamy pastel drawing of a woman, maybe a movie starlet, sometime in the mid-twentieth century. I can imagine Armstrong in his studio, carefully building up layers of pastel, each stroke a delicate whisper on the paper. The way he’s handled the blonde hair is especially interesting. It’s not just about depicting a specific hairstyle, but about capturing the very essence of light and texture. See how he uses soft, feathery strokes to suggest the curls and waves? There’s a real sense of movement and vitality, like the hair is almost alive. The face is softly lit, the lips pursed, a kind of coy expression that evokes the time it was made. And those eyes! They draw you in, don't they? It's as though she's sharing a secret, or maybe just inviting you to dream along with her. These illustrators were in constant dialogue with one another, all working towards a similar ideal of beauty. What a life!