As promised, this week i will be discussing my first nude. "Nude 1," alternately titled "Nude Woman with Black Boa," either one will do. Its a lovely piece, i think, and I've been displaying it prominently since the day i drew it, on... hmmm... well, honestly i can't quite remember exactly when i drew it. My best guess is the late summer'98, when i was 15.
I had spent a few weeks prior taking Head Drawing classes at California Institute for the Arts in Westlake, and when that class had finished, i went along with my mom to a weekend workshop at the same school. "Workshop" meaning, there would be no instructor, just a model and setup. Students and pros would pay a stipend to draw or paint.
I was excited; mom was always coming home from these workshops with lovely paintings of nude women, so i figured the odds were good that i would finally draw a naked lady, something i hadn't done yet, but knew just had to be awesome. Artistically awesome, of course, for i was quite serious about being a serious artist, despite my young age, and knew that it would be very inappropriate to giggle or point. To give away any sign of being titillated by the naked woman in front of me would spoil the atmosphere for the other artists and would likely cause the model to become uncomfortable. I also knew that i would likely be the youngest person in the workshop, and so i had a sense that it would be a good idea to sort of pretend that i "do this kind of thing all the time," like when you first smoke a cigarette, for instance, in anticipation of the judgement of those around me. Plus, with mom being there, any sexual daydreams would be quickly dissolved.
Turns out that was the right frame of mind. Removing the sexual context from the occasion, you can view the subject objectively, and draw it like you are drawing any other still life. Which is basically what this drawing is, since, although not inanimate like the flowers and bowls and fruit of other still lives, the model nonetheless lies quite motionless, disconnected from reality, instead thinking artistic thoughts, or trying to become part of the setting. So both the model and artist are "disconnected". Its all quite zen i'm sure.
I wonder if i can recall how it all went down... Pretty sure we got to class a little early, since apparently i had an optimal viewing position, and art classes are first come, first seated. The model was a relatively young thing, probably early twenties, a fresh face with fair complexion and white skin "like mozzarella" as Garfield would say. She was definitely appetizing to behold but i kept all my interest bottled up. She went behind the room partition to change, and emerged not fully naked but wearing an elaborate black feather robe and boa (I learned later that a little bit of costume is common for "nude" models). She also wore a red/orange wig, which i felt did not enhance her appearance, but did sort of suit the setting, which ended up being a kind of "daydreaming seductress" scenario.
The drawing came together quite naturally. Fresh from the lessons of my head drawing class, i knew to block in the abstract shapes of the contrasting light and dark patterns. Since much of her form was obstructed by the black boa, i was able to render her exposed parts as separate entities that didn't have to be connected at her hips or shoulders. The boa also obstructed my view of her nipples and feet, which i might have preferred to draw.
Looking back now, i'm impressed by the naturally rendered draping of the robe falling off the edge of the wicker couch.
These days i would probably not have tried to draw the detailed weaving of the wicker, but i'm glad i did it here, it shows my inexperience as an illustrator, and yet really doesn't look bad either.
Total drawing time was probably two hours; i'm pretty quick but i remember this being a painstaking process. I wanted it to look good! And it turned out pretty good i still think. I'm not really that technically critical of these early drawings... i was so young and I've long since learned how to more realistically. But these drawings are so important to me now because they remind me of my early serious commitment to being a serious artist, and how driven i was, and although i have a lighter attitude these days, i can still draw inspiration from artistic milestones such as this one.
Today this drawing is framed and part of my Permanent Collection, which contains a select few early fine art pieces that are sacred to me. It is approximately 14" x 17", Charcoal on Newsprint. After 10 years the Newsprint has oxidized, slowly turning brown like an apple, currently a rich sepia tone, further enhancing its authenticity. Not signed or labeled.
