Rebecca

Fall is upon the trees here in Long Beach.  I am in the second month of my figure drawing class and I love every moment of it.  After a tumultuous few months of emotional entanglements, job-juggling, and a few physical injuries, I am starting to feel better in the flow in my life.  And lo, I have hit a breakthrough with my drawings.  Stilted figures, mismatched proportions and hazy scratches that were eeked out in 1-2 minute gestures are now more fluid, more comprehensive.  I'm a much faster drawer now than I was a year ago.

We had a wonderful model.  Each week, it's always someone different.  Her name is Rebecca.  The first time she posed, I froze.  Normally, I don't really look at the model.  But her clear blue eyes just went right through me.  I've never had anyone stare at me so intently, and so nakedly before.  I tried to keep composure, but noticed a few differences in her body.  She was very muscular for a woman, which was great.  Except her lower torso was extremely long, too long.  Her neck, too wide.  Her face and jaw, too square.  Rebecca use to be a man.   Within 10 seconds, I understood it all.  I felt very lucky to draw such a unique person and fell right into work.

In the next few weeks, I hope to draw even faster to include the head.  I hope to also show more tonal drawings.  At this point, I am improving but not at a level where I can accept yet.  I must look at the shapes more critically with dimensions.  Breast is not oval but sphere so I can hit the shadow just right, etc.  I am very happy with my progress and hopeful for more improvement as winter comes.