Hello Sarah Con Hache! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview. Please start by telling us something about yourself and your background. How it all started? My name is Sarah con Hache, I'm Spanish, I live in Seville, I'm 30 years old and I'm cartoonist of pin up models. I've always liked to draw women and I love pin up style, It's my own style. I’m pin up. At first I started drawing some of my friends and then other people saw my artworks and they started asking how they could get one of my drawings.

Q: So your style is basically inspired by comics?
A: Yes, I've always loved comics and cartoons. I have completed my Bachiller studies with several courses of character design and comic narrative. Characters like Jessica Rabbit, Catwoman, Storm (X-men) or the Disney princesses have inspired my drawing style. Also some film divas like Marilyn Monroe, Morticia Addams (I have a tattoo of her on my arm) Betty Page, Marlene Dietrich... My mother scolded me because I used a red marker to paint red lips on the princesses of my storybooks. Even then I loved the pin up style without even knowing the name. Why pin ups? I have a thousand of reasons. First for it's aesthetics. I think this enhances the best of women. Any girl is sexier, more beautiful and more feminine in this style. But red lips, '50s dresses, vintage hairstyles or tattoos (typical of the pin up of the XXI century) are not the only reason. The philosophy of the Pin up world is full of positivity and joy.

Q: Do you have any favorite model?
A: I love drawing tattooed models with rainbow colored hair but among them all, definitely, my favorite is Victoria van Violence. I am very childish. My favorite fairy tale has always been "The princess with green hair". In the story the protagonist was very capricious. A fairy punished the princess transforming her black hair green. When I saw Victoria for the first time I remembered the fairy tale and I thought, "Oh my God, she's like the princess!" It was love at first sight. Since then she is my muse. I got to know her through Internet. Besides being a beautiful model she is a lovely and very friendly girl.

Q: Have you ever made a sarcastic caricature of someone? Who was it?
A: Yes, I started working as a waitress (many years ago) and I drew my boss. I drew some comic strips in which he was an evil villain. But we had a good relationship and at the end I showed him his caricature. He didn’t get angry :)

Q: What details you love the most?
A: The eyes, lips, hair... everything that enhances femininity. I love the female body. I stylize it to highlight curves. The sensuality of the female body is full of beauty. I can not deny it, I love drawing bulky breasted women :)

Q: Have you ever thought to start working on something completely different, maybe a parody of all the negative aspects in the modern fashion world? I think that's a great idea.
A: At this moment I have so many orders that I can hardly stand to think about doing something different. But it’s true, it’s very good idea. I don’t know in other countries but in Spain, in many places, it is very difficult to get a job if you're tattooed. I don’t understand that the world of fashion imposes rules and if someone does not follow them have to be reviled. People should have an open mind.

     

 

 

 

Q: Do you feel powerful as a designer, having the ability to send a message to the masses and hopefully change some opinions, brake taboos?
A: Oh! This is very difficult. My goal at this time is to make people smile and look prettier themselves. Many girls, in their childhood, dreamed of being princesses, cartoons. I give them the opportunity to see their dreams come true. And the best, regardless of whether they are perfect or not for the standards of beauty set. For me everyone has something magical inside. I wish I could kill the complex created by the prejudices of society.

Q: It is important to keep yourself motivated and avoid rouitne fatigue.
A: There are days when I have to draw a model with blue hair, tattoos and a beautiful vintage dress and other days when I have to create the design of a logo or a design for a tattoo, today I’m drawing a steampunk bird, so the work routine is not boring.

Q: How you get inspired?
A: On the wall of my studio, I put pictures of my favorite cartoonists (Chris Sanders, Alessandro Barbucci, Glen Keane) and, of course, a large poster of Victoria van Violence. These type of images inspire me and keep me motivated. Another good way to start the day is to first draw something for pure pleasure, no pressure, just a sketch full of lines and erasures. This will help me to concentrate to draw the custom artwork of the day, which should be perfect.

Q: Any challenges?
A: I want to learn even more. I think every artist should continue learning. I study as I can. Courses of anatomy, drawing software, color theory, perspective... For me it's never enough. I'm a perfectionist and I always find a reason to correct my drawings.

Q: Your advice for the new artists?
A: Practice, practice, practice! You can learn how to draw. There are good books, good courses, good teachers but are useless if you're lazy. Do not fall in love with your work. If you do, you will not evolve. It’s important to learn and see your own mistakes so you can improve.