Figure Drawing

Today was the first day in about three years I did figure drawing. As I took out my painting and began to set up, my teacher told me he had brought in a model today and that'd we'd be sketching instead!

I remember the first time I did real figure drawing was when I took a summer art camp at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art-- first time I saw naked people and had to draw them. You'd think it is a big deal, but people get over it pretty quickly. In the mind of an artist you just look at the folds of the skin and the wrinkles and the shape of the muscles, and you pretty much forget the fact that you're looking at a naked man. Last year I took a figure painting class. It gave different challenges because the focus is on the lighting and skin tone colors from warm to cool rather than the actual shape of the body.

What I do love most about figure drawing though are the actual models. Unlike still life, these people have lives! You can talk to them and get to know them. They have opinions on music and politics! I feel like models are one of the most confident people I know: comfortable in their own skin and comfortable at socializing... in the nude.

Anyways, it was quite fun... I think "Art Wednesdays" will be a theme. You know... since I have art class every Wednesday and I seem to consistently post my artwork anyhow.