Original artwork description:

Reclined Position

This pastel drawing ‘Model Session - 15-03-25 - 2’ shows model Renee in a reclined position. This is the way she prefers to sleep, she said. Only good for us artists, I’d say. When someone posing is feeling comfortable in his or her position then magic happens. Why? In the past I have also worked with lesser experienced models. For example, I took some commissions to sketch women posing for their men. Such live sessions can turn out to become quite bothersome. The reasion is that people not used to posing can feel very unconfortable, even clumsy. Therefor, being a professional model is quite a challenge. People have a view 360 degrees around you and you have to lie still. Furthermore, it’s an interaction really. She gives us what they want and we as artists can produce a better result, pleasing her. A relationship sui generis.

Seeing Potential

Tonight’s first session was great yet challenging. I had the positioning, scaling and proportions right but after an hour that pastel was far from finished. The second session was great and just my cup of tea. Let me explain why. Again, I had a great position, looking from a sort of 45 angle. There I immediately saw the slanted limbs creating rhythym of their own had immense potential. Hence I captured her quickly enough in order to focus more on details. However, finished and all I saw the possibility to do even more. Lately I noticed my work have turned a bit more to realism again. Maybe some bigger Kondratiev wave I’m surfing. I don’t know. Perhaps I pick up the heavily abstracted cubist wave once more in the unforseeable future.

Back in My Studio

Back home in my studio I started with a focus on the center. Both hair and cushions had my full attention. The latter showed a silky shine and possibly you remember my almost fetish-like preference for those. As to the hair I topped it off by drawing some loose hairs playfully crosshatching all underlying darker locks. Next, the table top was elaborated further by suggesting groovy patterns in the wood structure, although vaguely. The table edge conveniently more or less ran in the same direction as her lower arms and leg. There’s almost a roman perspetive showing and I’m not sure if I saw that during the pose. Only in the picture I was allowed to take of her. No need worry though. The result pleases me nevertheless because it is artistically justified. So much for putting things in the right linear perspective all the time! Or is it?

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

Materials used:

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

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