Courtroom Artist Responds To Backlash Over 'Unflattering' Kardashian Sketches
The sketch artist has spoken.
Courtroom sketch artist Mona Shafer Edwards has responded to the backlash she received this week for her 'unflattering' drawings of the Kardashian/Jenners during their trial against reality star Blac Chyna.
Blac Chyna, whose legal name is Angela White, has sued the Kardashian family for $100 million, claiming that they had defamed her and illegally interfered with her contracts and business dealings to end her reality TV career.
Kris Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Khloe Kardashian appeared in court this week to mark the beginning of the court case.
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While the trial will be heavily reported, cameras have not been present in the court room, leaving all visual aides to illustrator Mona Shafer Edwards.
The internet went in to a frenzy when the artist's sketches was unveiled, depicting Kim, Khloe, Kylie, and Kris sitting in the court during jury selection.
Fans were of the opinion that the Kardashian-Jenner clan had not been drawn in the most flattering light, comparing the sketch to clips and photos that they have seen of the famous family.
One person tweeted: "I have been laughing at the Kardashians’ court room sketch since last night. Kim Kardashian looks like she’s copying Khloe’s answers on a quiz."
And a second wrote: "The Blac Chyna case sketch artist really hates the Kardashians."
In the days following, Mona Shafer Edwards appeared to respond to the backlash, sharing an article by Jezebel to her Twitter account.
The headline read: "A Courtroom Artist Gives Us a Rare View of the Real Kardashians."
In the article, Mona commented on the public's response to her sketches, stating: "The biggest problem when you draw someone who is incredibly recognizable is that there is a very fine line between drawing what they look like, and drawing people’s perception of what they look like."
She added: "What one sees in reality is very different from what one sees online. When a photograph has been filtered, photoshopped, and whatever."
Chyna, 33, is also suing the Kardashians over the loss of celebrity earning power from the cancellation of the short-lived E! series, Rob & Chyna, which ran for only one season in 2016.
Kim Kardashian, 41 and Kris Jenner, 66, served as producers on the spin-off series alongside Ryan Seacrest
Lawyer Lynne Ciani claimed during the opening statements in a Los Angeles court that Kris Jenner falsely accused Chyna of physically attacking Rob Kardashian in a bid to get their reality spin-off series cancelled.
The lawyer representing the Kardashian-Jenners countered that E! cancelled Rob & Chyna after the couple broke up.
Rob Kardashian met Blac Chyna in January 2016, and the couple announced their engagement that April. Their spin-off series Rob & Chyna debuted in September just before their child Dream Kardashian, five, was born in November of that year.
Ali Condon