Creating Model Session - 17-05-25 - 1

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Great Classic Face and Gorgeous Trained Body

This pastel drawing ‘Model - 17-05-25 – 1’ depicts a woman with a great classic face and gorgeous trained body. All the more reason to capture her in classical realism. Donica is her name and she is a professional model and contemporary dancer. In fact, quite muscular and she can hold a pose, even extremer ones. However, we as a group decided to do only two long sessions of one hour each in the past. A walk in the park for our model of today. So we discussed two comfortable poses, both on cushions on a table. In municipal center ‘De Blauwe Tram’ it isn’t cold this time of year. Therefor we didn’t even have to put on the heater for her.

Challenging Forshortenings

There it was, a great angle from my position. A complete view on her facial features and chest with some challenging foreshortenings from the waist down. Just my cup of tea. The cloth she lies on was her own. A kind of black velvet with a nap. Getting the right proportions was easy more ore less. Capturing her exact facial features was a bit bothersome and she repositioned her arms a couple of times. Nevertheless, the final result at the end of this first session was satisfying enough. However, those foreshortened limbs weren’t perfect but I saw the potential to do more.

A Whole Lot of Elaboration

Back home I set out to elaborate this pastel in my studio. Studying the reference picture I took during the session I saw I could adjust the positioning of the arms. Not that I was completely wrong compared to last session of last month. It was only that she positioned her hands with a much wider space between them. Sadder but wiser I decided to erase what I got. Brutally redoing much of the hands, arms and even her head. Perhaps also a gutfeel that this final position was more aesthetic and pleasant to look at. Luckily for me I work quickly and soon I got the right proportions again. The result is a smooth finish. Maybe not hyperrealistic but even impressionist and in line with previous recent sessions. Fun to do and I got the feeling of sharpening my artistic regard by practising this kind of realism.

Pastel drawing on Hahnemühle Dürer Ingres-Bütten Night Blue paper (48 x 62,5 x 0.1 cm)
Artist: Corné Akkers