You may have noticed that I don’t often draw men wearing earrings. The truth is, actually, that some of the guys who have appeared on this blog do wear earrings, but that I sometimes forget to include them, especially if they’re small studs. At first I wondered if this was because earrings on men are now so common that I don’t even notice them anymore. But, the more I thought about it, I realized that it’s really quite the opposite. I just don’t think there are as many men in earrings as there used to be back in the ’80s and ’90s, and there are definitely a lot less guys who are wearing hoops. On the other hand, there are several times as many guys in tattoos. I hope to reach drawing #500 by the end of this year. When I think about what I’d like to capture in the second 500 drawings, more guys with tattoos, more musicians, and more students come to mind.

Ajuan Mance