Wash Day, Nubia: Real One) always knew she would be an illustrator. Her father was a portrait artist, her mother a makeup artist and young Robyn s creativity was encouraged from an early age. After school, she worked on her homework in the playroom that doubled as her father s studio. She d watch as he carved charcoal sticks and spread the shavings with his fingers across a blank canvas.
His ability to create stunning hyperrealistic black and white portraits for his clients with just his hands always fascinated her. Inspired by her father s work, Smith would regularly distract herself at school by penciling portraits of her friends and classmates.