Minimalistic line art drawings with Cheryl-Lee

Tell us a bit of your background

I was raised in Centurion, Gauteng and attended a local government school. In my senior years of high school I had art as an extra subject and was awarded merit and distinction. In my late teens and early twenties after school, like many, I took a gap year that expanded almost two years and travelled the UK visiting London, Scotland, Wales, Manchester, Midlands and the Lake District.

I later studied hairdressing and graduated with my national and international diploma with distinction and extra credits – my accreditation was done by City and Guilds. I gained my competence and confidence by completing my 18-months apprenticeship in the men’s and women’s industries independently and now own a men’s hair salon.

I devote my spare time to practising art. For the last four years, I explored various art types and styles and found my special interest in creating illustrations using single line methods.

How did you get into art?

I was about five or six years old when I was introduced to art through my friend’s father who was an artist. He painted a mural of a village cafe in his music nook and a landscape portrait for their formal sitting room. I was mesmerised by his talent and that was where my artistic journey started.

What do you use to design your illustrations?

When I start a new art piece, I first have to decide on the topic, theme, object or series that interests me. I look at other creators and artists’ work for their interpretation and outcome and collect relevant photos or videos for my guidelines and references. I formulate my idea and create a concept drawing, after some consideration and alterations I make a detailed sketch in pencil. When I’m satisfied with the outcome, I will then draw my single line drawing using ink pens.

How long does an average art piece take to make?

It depends on the piece – it can take a couple of hours up to a week. “After Vincent – Purple Flower” was my least complicated drawing and took two hours. “After Leonardo-Warrior” was the most difficult, because of its fine intricate details. The longest I took on a drawing was three months.

What paper(s) do you prefer to sketch on and why?

I use crisp white, smooth paper that’s acid-free, it preserves the drawing and demonstration of fine details in the design and has similar qualities to the archival. Tammy Marshall at at Art of Print is a specialist in printing and framing fine art and the copies they made of my illustrations look beautiful on textured paper.

What framing do you feel finished your work and why?

I feel my illustrations look best in a simple, thin black frame, because of the minimalist design. Art of Print has a collection of synthetic frame curves that appeal to me.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m looking into animating my drawings to create another dimension to my art by using QR technology and I want to refine my drawing skills by adding more elements to my existing technique. It’s my feeling that art should stand by itself, independent of its creator and other connotations and allow the viewer to have their enjoyment through the artwork.