002 - Nudes Against Media
For a few weeks now I am drawing nudes - to be precise, female models only. In case you are a male reading this, I am very sorry you might feel discriminated by my drawing activities.
In my recent post, I reported on my first and newly purchased reference package of 1000+ poses provided by grafitschool and a wonderful female model.
Study of a pose and quick sketches of hand, knee and vulva in p220 burgundy [derwent]. Other study shining through the paper.
Naturally observing naturalness
Almost every ideal in beauty and body care / physique propagated by [social] media is - among others - toxic, may cause mental illnesses and give birth to phenomena like body dismorphic disorder in which a completely healthy person with completely well-built body rejects their own appearance - as an example.
Drawing nudes manifests quite the opposite to social media's propaganda. Over time, you study a plethora of bodies and poses. You observe how organic body shapes change under changing the pose. One vividly experiencable example is given by the breasts. As they can be seen as amorphous volumes [my apologies if your breasts feel insulted by this wording], they become fairly interesting when it comes to shapes assumed in different poses. Being stretched in a pose depicting widely opened arms, being compressed when the model hugs herself or hanging tear-shape in bent-over poses.
You do not experience the models through the lenses of dozens of image filters, AI enhancements or in the context of a new short-lived trends on social media. The interaction between artists and models is settled in a 3D space characterised by respectfulness, energy and vulnerability. Most models I witnessed did not undergo visible surgery making them a statement of naturalness opposing dictated lifestyles and asthetics on the media.
Speaking of media: they were always short-lived and desperately craving for attention, but developments in recent years let them evolve into this ultrashort-lived effect-overloaded more-is-more-mentality space we are unfortunately witnessing today. Anything, including propagation of body ideals, happen on these scales. When drawing nudes, the interaction with bodies is - again - quite the opposite. You really study the body, spend attention to details and think about why sth is shaped as it is during the pose you are studying. Lots of trial-error included here. Drawing nudes is a long-time process, while media is based on ultrashort-time interaction.
Sketch of a vulva in a bit more dynamic pose.
Vulva it is
Using HQ photo references provides the opportunity of staring at poses for hours straight. Detailed zooming transforms a single image into multiple study materials. One pose can be split up into the full pose, hands, knees, feet, breasts, facial features, vulva or whatever interests you. My case: Ended up in detailed vulva studies and a new idea for a small project.
But that's a story for another time.
Turns out: My first vulva was the best so far.