Project: Proportion - The longer pose (second attempt)

I didn't have a model today and I really wanted to complete this exercise. I could have used a photograph but this would not be as satisfying as drawing from life so I decided to use myself as a model in the mirror (still not quite the same as drawing from life because I am drawing from an image but somewhat better then a photo). 

The next question was clothes on or off? I decided that as my husband had bravely volunteered to pose nude and I really did want to draw the body without impedance from clothes I would pose nude too. This was a very brave decision for me as I generally have tried to avoid being naked in front of anyone and certainly avoid prolonged periods in front of the mirror as I am getting older and fatter. 

It was a challenge to myself to try to look in an objective and non-judgemental way at my own body. Of course it is actually impossible to look at yourself really objectively. However I thought this exercise on proportion would force me to measure and get a real sense of the shape of my body rather than my own imagined self - image (based on avoidance of actually looking). This could have one of two outcomes. It could either make me more accepting of my shape or if I find looking in the mirror to be torture it might me an incentive to overhaul my approach to diet and exercise.

I posed for an hour in 20 minute sessions. Initially I drew in pencil and I did a lot of measuring and cross-referencing. I stepped back frequently from the page. I drew on an A1 sheet.  I realised that I had made errors several times during the drawing and had to redraw - I also had to erase because the overdrawing was getting confusing. It took me 40 minutes before I was happy with the proportions. I then worked into the drawing with black india ink and a brush and a wash of the same ink.

1 hour from mirror reflection. Graphite plus black India ink and wash

Although I struggled with the proportions I do think that this has resolved fairly well. I am pleased that I did it. The most problematic area again was the feet - I must do some studies of feet. Also I have recently watched a Tate life drawing masterclass where  the artist who was tutoring the class suggested that the drawing should start from the feet because the sense of the model standing on the ground is difficult to convey when starting from the head. The OCA course material suggests starting from the middle off the figure. I'll try the 'foot up' approach too once I've spent some time looking at feet.

As well as helping me with proportions this has had value in other ways. I realise that I can look at my body and suspend my automatic negative judgements. Looking at the resulting drawing I can acknowledge that yes, I am overweight but I am also still generally human being shaped and not quite as enormous as my own mental image of myself. I'm quite please with this drawing. I was strict and finished at 1 hour. With more time I might have put more of the background in the lower left side of the page - but this might actually have detracted from the figure itself.