During my second year in college, I took a figure drawing class. It was an amazing experience; models would come and pose for all of us students while the instructor directed us to visualize the flow of different parts of the human body. I enjoyed this course so much that I drew nude figures using pastels for a couple of years. With my traditional figure drawings, I would usually use red chalk pastels and/or black chalk pastels. Once I got my tablet, I wanted to see if I could recreate the same style that the chalk pastels have, but digitally. I searched online for a photographed figure that called out to me and found this beautifully lit image of a woman. Unfortunately, I could not trace who took the photo I used as a reference, so I can’t give proper credit to the photographer. While looking at the image, it reminded me of some things as a woman; how we will always do everything in our power to appear pleasant to look at, no matter what kinds of demons we are fighting in our personal lives. The only way that I felt I could portray this with a simple nude figure was by adding a single small tear. The tear represents these personal struggles. It is so small compared to the piece, that it could easily be glanced over, just as others’ struggles are glanced over in real life.

I was honestly shocked at the fact that I could make a digital piece appear as though it was created traditionally. I did this by using a sort of transparent dry brush that was already in procreate and once I finished the piece I added a filter that gave it the texture of paper. Even just using black and red gives the piece that traditional feeling. I was very pleased with how this piece turned out because this is the first and only figure piece that I have put this much realism and detail into. I did originally have a different plan for this piece which was to have large floating hands “defiling” her; pulling her hair and aggressively gripping at her legs and waist. I changed my mind on that idea because I felt it was a bit too straightforward on what I wanted the meaning to be and I wanted to allow the viewer the chance to feel their own personal meaning from the piece.

artist statement