7/6/2025 Life Drawing

Raven radiates a strong, quiet confidence that I always try to capture when she's in the studio. It’s important to me that any time I draw or paint a woman, I make sure she doesn’t appear weak or helpless. I asked for Raven’s input on a few of the poses, because one of the great things about a life drawing session is being able to collaborate with the model. Yes, at the end of the day these are my creations, but I believe in leaving room for positive influence from those I draw inspiration from.

I’m constantly trying to find a balance with poses. Traditional, conservative figure drawing poses tend to feel restrictive—they deny individuality and erase any sense of sexuality. But on the other end of the spectrum, I don't want to focus on pinup-style poses that cater solely to the male gaze and objectification. Somewhere, there’s a sweet spot where the natural allure of a woman can coexist with the integrity of figure drawing. I think it’s more about trying to capture the intangible qualities a model brings to a session, rather than just her physical form. It’s about portraying an experience instead of rendering an object.

One of the reasons I’m drawn to Egon Schiele’s work is his depiction of the female nude. His drawings are far from conventionally beautiful. His lines are strong and confident, but also brutal and unforgiving. Some might argue he made his women look ugly, but I believe he was more concerned with capturing presence and experience than with idealized beauty. Too many people rely on the correct rendering of nature to decide whether a piece of art is good or not.

Anyway, Raven was great and I look forward to working with her again!

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