Our times are populated by mass imagery, mostly intended to shock, challenge, push boundaries. The pictures are loud. They are confrontational. They can be disturbing. With this figure drawing study, I wanted to turn away from such extremes and instead to explore stillness, subtlety, and modesty in the female form.
I found The Artist’s Complete Guide to Figure Drawing by Anthony Ryder to be an excellent resource in beginning this work. Many of its technical aspects are based on the principles outlined in the book. However, while the guide seeks the perfection of contours and finishing of form, I purposely left many lines uncertain, and distinct areas unshaded. I did this in order to expose the process involved in creating my art, and to selectively focus on various elements of the composition. For me, this creates a sense of depth and unbalance. It makes a drawing more expressive.
The drawing is a study for a large-scale painting, currently in a state of mid-completion.
