Robin Black has made makeup anything but boring with her Instagram handle Beauty is Boring since she started it in 2012. For the uninitiated, Robin Black started documenting her artistry with close-up shots of her models’ faces against a white background to draw attention to her use of colourful makeup and her perfect technique. We not only get to marvel at her marvellous make-up techniques, but her audience can recreate her looks since her Instagram caption always lists the products she uses to create the look.
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The idea behind her debut book, The Beauty Sketchbook, is a similar one. Black wanted to make a manual to document all her make-up looks, but at the same time, she wanted to do it in her own fun way. She says about the book, “I wanted to do a beauty book that was more inspirational than instructional. I am very spontaneous when I create makeup looks. I am often inspired by a specific colour, mood, music, artist, era or culture but the final look really depends on the model.”
That’s how Black came to collaborate with sketch artist Regina Yazdi for the The Beauty Sketchbook. She says about the Yazdi, “We have worked on a wide variety of projects together, ranging from a Mugler Paris runway show to a digital Marc Jacobs beauty campaign and a Dior Beauty launch event. This book is really an extension of our collaboration and friendship. In the studio, I create makeup looks and take photos while Regina stands next to me and illustrates. So when Abrams (publishing company) approached me about doing a beauty book, I thought it would be really fun to share our creative process!”
Illustrations by Regina Yazdi.
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Photographs courtesy Robin Black @beautyisboring and Abrams Books.
The Beauty Sketchbook is out on Amazon.com.
