The Professional Webspace of Designer and Illustrator Kevin Cornell:
"Design, Art, and Lackluster Humor."
About Three-Legged Girl
On occasion, I'll have an image in my mind that I repeatedly draw. I suppose a "motif" would be the best way to put it. There's probably some other more-appropriate term, but I don't know it. Which is also a bit of a motif for me: Not Knowing Things, but Being Too Lazy to Research It.
Anyway. For me, translating a mental image onto a piece of paper — commonly called "drawing" — is usually a one-time deal. Because the act of drawing is more about getting the image out of my head, than it is about getting it on paper. If I don't get it out, it just clogs up the works, and before you know it I stop doing important tasks like washing the dishes and talking to other humans. Now... understanding that, you can see how a motif that keeps popping back into my head is equivalent to life's other annoying recurring wonders. Day, Night, Geysers, and that fucking TV Gecko... to name a few.
I thought this was about Three-Legged Girl?
I'm getting to that. About three years ago, Kim and I were driving down Route 202. I was looking out the passenger window at a series of houses when I noticed this young woman draped lazily over a lawn chair in the middle of her driveway, smoking a cigarette. It was an oddly comforting scene, I think because I assumed that's what she did every day, all day. It was nice to believe that if a person chose to, they could just do that with their life... sit... watch traffic... and smoke. Perhaps that's why this is a motif, and not a simple one-time image. Maybe because I know in my head that she can't possibly do that all day; but if I draw it as often as I can, I'm filling in for her when she's busy.
Comments on this Article
There are currently 21 comments.
3. joesplanet
I'm gonna guess Kim usually drives. Otherwise, it's "three-legged-girl... three-legged-girl... three-legged-girl... GET BACK IN YOUR LANE ... three-legged-girl... three-legged-girl..."
4. Andrew
I love it, it's even better than if you'd have drawn an ACTUAL 3 legged girl.
5. martha
haha... i had to look a few times to figure out it wasn't ACTUALLY a three-legged girl... but i love the story that goes along with it
i once saw a man wandering down one of the major streets in fort worth... it was obvious he was a drifter wearing far too many layers for the balmy texas heat, and he was quite scruffy. totally a mundane site, except the man was holding a ribbon leading up to a white balloon hovering above his head... it's always stuck with me
you should draw that!
6. bearskinrug
Joesplanet - Haha - somewhat true! I always have to drive at night, because Kim can't really see in the dark. But my wandering eye CAN be a problem when I drive!
Andrew - Thanks!
Martha - Wow - that WOULD be an image that would stick with me! Just like this did...
7. The Colonel
She wouldn't have been sitting in front of a trailer park, would she?
Seems like that and a mangy dog (or neglected infant) are the only things missing from this equation.
8. MattLat
Joesplanet -
I'll bet Kim started driving after Kevin tried to take out a funeral procession :D
10. Jim
Wow... one hand smells like a Reebok and the other like a Marlbro... does it get any sexier than that? I really like this piece Kevin, thanks for sharing.
11. bearskinrug
Colonel - Haha - nope. This was just a regular ol' suburban house. Somewhere around the "King of Prussia" area... in fact... right about here. Though that means absolutely nothing to 99% of the people reading this.
MattLat - Well... see if I ever drive YOU anywhere! Or... better yet, I'll drive you somewhere and it'll scare the bejesus out of you!
Dibyo - I'd give you her number, but I don't have it. But I can give you A number... How about "3"?
Jim - Well... that bare foot should smell pretty good, right?
12. Terry Tolleson
I love this image. Everything about it is just so... wow. Great job, Kevin. You've really captured a slice of life in that illo.
Elsewhere: She reminds me a lot of Kuchiki Rukia. Something about her face (not necessarily the style or anything, just the expression and her whole image).
13. DD wishmore
Amazing picture. There is a lazy, yet strong undertone to it. btw, that gecko bothers me too...
14. Ian
She might not have three legs, but she does have one boob. A real nicely shaped boob. I wish I could draw boobs.
15. Pierce
Wow I love this illustration. I wish I had something witty to add to that...
Emmm... man, check out that hand. If she had a penis it would be really large.
Eh?
16. testMonkey
Pierce: Why a huge penis? Is it your experience that one-boobed women have large penises? That's gotta be a hell of an experience.
Now there's a yarn I'd love to hear sitting at a green light as a funeral procession passes!
17. Shane Guymon
This si a GREAt drawing, there's a lot of movement that goes in internally, meaning it pulls your eye through and around the entire picture allowing your eye to flow seemlessly through every aspect of the drawing, allowing you to enjoy the ENTIRE picture.
18. milo
Cool, could be me sitting in front of my laptop, but i roll my tobacco ...
19. tony bye
i believe that a three legged woman with a shoe on ones ball of the hand makes a damn good shoe selling idea for palm feet of the smoking girls equivelent of walking on ones hands as our ancestors did many life times before the artist of the picture in tow....
20. tony bye
shall we all remember the time when all one could see was the light from within. how odd that now all we see is the light from without my friends join me on this journey... join us , join us to remind us of what we are on this rock for............light refreshmentsi say with out redemption...
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1. Jared
Replace the cigarette with a hamburger, and that's the life for me!