My First Nude!

It was only a matter of time, when I started drawing and painting a few months ago, before I came up against my nemesis; drawing and painting from still life, particularly the human figure, and, very particularly, a nude.

As you may recall, my art teacher at school was frequently heard to utter the words "Emma, draw what you see, not what you think you see!" and I was perpetually confused as to what she meant.  I understood there was some kind of processing problem going on as what I drew on the page didn't look anything like what I was seeing before me, but I couldn't figure out what the David Dickenson I was doing wrong.

For the past few months I have gainfully avoided drawing figures wherever possible, and when I have taken the plunge, I've elongated them and played with them, to make them look cartoonish.

My butterfly boy was my first attempt to get bodily proportions right, and when he didn't look like something Picasso had painted during his cubist era, I was pleased.

Today I decided to face down the dragon and draw a nude.  From a photo, you understand.  It's been below freezing here in the UK and to ask a friend to strip down to the billy-buff for my art just seemed cruel. Although a good friend did volunteer...  Maybe next time.

I was focused on her back and buttocks to see if I could get the light and shade right without too much detail, so I'm aware her hair looks like a woolly hat my nan used to wear in the 70's and her toes are a bit weird, but overall I think she's not too shabby.

I'm still working on my adult male butterfly dude.  This nude was my attempt to start getting body proportions right before cracking on with him.  I'll post him as soon as he's done.

How is your weekend going?  It's been snowing here.  Eric and Ernie are disgusted with the weather, although watching Ernie slip on a patch of ice as he trotted down the garden path trying to look dignified did make me smile.

I hope you're warm and snuggly wherever you are.