Nude Modeling

I had my first experience with a nude model last week. I found out today that it wouldn't be my last experience with one.

I've never taken figure drawing classes before and was disappointed that my school didn't have any to offer. I've taken Drawing I and wanted to take Figure Drawing before moving onto Drawing II, assuming that Drawing II would explore this. It does. We were given a brief slideshow from our teacher about proportions and sketching and were told we'd be having a live model. He walked in, fully clothed, and I tried to remember all the things I'd learned at F.I.T about contour lines and shadows in clothing. I've worked with models before, always drawing them clothed, and it still didn't dawn on me that this one was going to drop his drawers. When he came back into the room wearing only a robe my blonde hair got the best of me and I still didn't understand. Only when the robe came off with a slightly cocky (no pun intended) flourish did I realize I was going to be sketching a naked man.

I stared. I looked directly at his penis and stared. How could you not? I've never done this kind of thing and just couldn't help myself. I will be modest, folks, and I won't describe it to you, but I assure you that the image is burned into my brain. The lights were off save one and for this I was immensely grateful. My face was so hot that were the lights on I would have looked strikingly similar to the Kool-Aid man. I stared and stared and tried very hard to coach myself through the experience. It took a long time but I finally came to see the man as an object to draw rather than a person to admire. Because, I'll admit it, I was admiring him. He was pretty hot. I seriously lucked out with my first nude model. I almost felt like I was cheating when my T.A. came in to take over for my regular teacher. I'm still fiercly in love with him. When class was finally over I'd seen every inch and cranny of this model and felt very comfortable looking at him naked. I realized how relaxed I'd become around this naked man when at one point his water bottle fell over and he bent over to pick it up. He brown eyed me and it only made me marginally less complacent.

I thought, though, that I would only have to sketch a nude one time. WRONG. My second nude model came in today and again I found myself stupidly thinking I was going to be drawing her clothed. She got naked, though, and I found myself less comfortable with this than with the man. I felt like I was violating her the whole time I looked at her. Our project was to choose a section of her body to zoom in on and draw very large. All the other girls in the class chose areas that included her breasts. I didn't. I was so afraid to look at her boobs that when my eyes would stray toward the area I would look away shyly. I eventually had to stop making small sketches and move onto my big paper and unfortunately then I was required to include the boobs. I made them up. I just could not look at her boobs no matter how hard I tried. So I just made them up. I figured out where the light spots should have gone and tried my best to make the boobs fit the figure I was drawing. My T.A. came in and this time I felt like he was cheating on me. UGH! He even talked to her. By the end of the day I'd had my fill of this nude woman and was excited at the prospect of being finished with nudes.

I was informed later that there will be nude COUPLES posing for my painting class.
Arrivederci, for now.
Love, Gabby