Before I begin posting images, I’d like to clear the air about figure drawing and
figure drawing classes. Figure drawing comes with the negative connotation that
it is pornography (especially in Utah); that it is a group of people that go
and draw naked bodies. They draw and focus on areas of the body that are deemed
private and unholy (when in actuality they are sacred). They are sexual
objects/parts, exposed and displayed for others to see in a class. This was a prominent
thought in my mind when entering the visual arts field of study. I was secretly
afraid of having to draw a nude model. It was uncharted territory and something
that I viewed as uncomfortable and inappropriate. I had no desire to draw a
nude figure, just the thought made me anxious. My first experience having to
draw the nude figure was a lot better than I anticipated. Why? Because it
wasn’t sexualized like my brain imagined it to be. It was, as all of my other
nude figure drawing classes have been, extremely professional.
The figure drawing room is not like the outside world. Those who are in the class are all there to learn and to study the body; to study the movement, the beauty, the muscles, the value, the shadows, shapes, forms, etc. Nothing is sexualized, which is apparently very difficult for non-art people to understand. Why is it hard for them? Well, everyone has grown up in the world where everything is sexualized, the body especially. The body has become so sexualized in the world today than any sort of nude display becomes a form of pornography. Yes, pornography is terrible and I am not saying that nudity should be accepted everywhere, but we were given bodies by Heavenly Father. Our bodies are sacred and beautiful. They shouldn’t become sexualized objects. They shouldn’t be used for pornography. Sadly, I cannot control the world and the people in it.
With the attitude of everything becoming sexualized, it is difficult to show, display, or even discuss this type of art work with people outside of the realm of art, and I completely understand that view. Movies, magazines, television, even throughout art history the body, especially the female body, has been turned into an object to be desired, which is why it is difficult to view figure drawing a nude model any different, because that is what we are used to seeing around us. Figure drawing is not something that should be sexualized. I can’t share some of my work with certain people because I will be judged according to the worldly notion. They see the piece and it automatically becomes a naked body instead of celebration of the beauty of the human form. All they see is the nakedness.
With that being said, I share these images in the hope that they will be viewed maturely and appropriately. These are nothing but a study of the human form. A study of the movement, light, and beauty that we are all blessed with.
I'll begin with my life drawing sketchbook sketches
*I'll update the sizes when I measure them out. None of these projects were small, by any means (except the sketchbook work-they are all on 9x12 paper
The figure drawing room is not like the outside world. Those who are in the class are all there to learn and to study the body; to study the movement, the beauty, the muscles, the value, the shadows, shapes, forms, etc. Nothing is sexualized, which is apparently very difficult for non-art people to understand. Why is it hard for them? Well, everyone has grown up in the world where everything is sexualized, the body especially. The body has become so sexualized in the world today than any sort of nude display becomes a form of pornography. Yes, pornography is terrible and I am not saying that nudity should be accepted everywhere, but we were given bodies by Heavenly Father. Our bodies are sacred and beautiful. They shouldn’t become sexualized objects. They shouldn’t be used for pornography. Sadly, I cannot control the world and the people in it.
With the attitude of everything becoming sexualized, it is difficult to show, display, or even discuss this type of art work with people outside of the realm of art, and I completely understand that view. Movies, magazines, television, even throughout art history the body, especially the female body, has been turned into an object to be desired, which is why it is difficult to view figure drawing a nude model any different, because that is what we are used to seeing around us. Figure drawing is not something that should be sexualized. I can’t share some of my work with certain people because I will be judged according to the worldly notion. They see the piece and it automatically becomes a naked body instead of celebration of the beauty of the human form. All they see is the nakedness.
With that being said, I share these images in the hope that they will be viewed maturely and appropriately. These are nothing but a study of the human form. A study of the movement, light, and beauty that we are all blessed with.
I'll begin with my life drawing sketchbook sketches
Head studies
Graphite
Foot and hand studies
Graphite
Value/no line studies
Charcoal
Quick drawing studies
Charcoal
This is probably one of my best drawings I have ever done.
Skeleton Study
24x30 approx
Charcoal
These are actually from my drawing 2 class, but due to the nudity, I placed them here.
Enlightenment
Charcoal
Trying out a different style
Charcoal
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