Jimi Hendrix Sound Portrait Sketch

(1994) 8.5" X 14" ink drawing
Jimi Hendrix Sound Portrait Sketch

This was one of the first pieces that I contacted representatives of the subject to request permission to use the artist’s likeness and quote a few lines of music for a drawing. To my surprise I received a call from Alan Douglas at Are You Experienced Ltd. with tentative approval and we ended up discussing a few possible projects using this image.

This version was one of several color tests I produced and my favorite. I tried to use colors that matched the “Are You Experienced?” album. During this time the Hendrix estate reverted to the Hendrix family and the projects did not proceed.

The music quotes I used included the main riff from “Purple Haze” and a bass line from “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)”. The two musical excerpts here include my initial electric demo and an orchestral rendering for a future version of a MusicArt sound portrait of Jimi.