Life Imitates Art

Part 12 - Self-Portrait

Max_

Before having that shower and changing the look of my skin seemingly forever, I had full intentions of doing a beach sketch of Maxine. Even as I walked in here, with Tess a couple of steps behind me and her skirt that I've borrowed for the night flapping and flowing around my legs, it was still my full intention. But as I open the computer and check the usual chat room, someone has actually posted a reply to the question I asked.

'Realism is a tangible thing. It's easier to draw clothes that you know must exist somewhere. It's even easier to draw clothes that you have seen in person, and even easier if they are your clothes or clothes you have worn before. A good exercise would be to wear something and draw it on you at the same time. That way, you're getting all the sensations as you try to recreate it.

Best of luck, Maxine!'

I forgot my page name would be the one they would use. I renamed the page yesterday so that MM would have her own home.

"OK, we have a change of plan. We're still drawing, but it's not a dress. And I'll need your help more than I first thought.

"OK, what can I do?"

"This is weird. I'd like you come up with ideas for makeup, shoes and all of that for this outfit. As in, the one I'm wearing now. It's all about immersion."

"I can do that. And you'll be drawing her wearing those clothes?"

"Yeah, definitely. This should turn out well." And so away we go. Tess starts taking notes in a different book for what we can do about my digital girl's overall look and presentation while I draw Maxine's face and hair. I haven't worked out the pose yet. What feels natural?

I stand up to get a photo of myself, but I can't quite get the full outfit on show at a proper angle where I can draw it. Tessa notices what the aim is, so she takes the phone and asks me to stand up in front of Charizard at the back of the room.

"I need you to do different poses. Hey, could we use that dragon on the wall?"

"We could. It's Charizard, by the way. Why do you ask?"

"Seems pretty obvious. There's a dragon on your top. Having a dragon there works. Imagine you're summoning it, or whatever they do in that."

"OK, so I'll point like I'm telling it to attack. That way, I don't actually need to draw Charizard, which would be tough."

"You do whatever feels natural." As I shift and get ready for the pose, I feel the skirt dancing once more as I throw my right arm forward and point the index and middle fingers, making sure to keep the arm turned in such a way that doesn't look like a gang sign. Tess snaps five or six, just so we can have the perfect pose.

Once I return to the desk, Tess shows me the one she thinks is best. Now I know where all the limbs need to be, that's the next task. Sketching her face is easy since most of it is a transfer from other works. Her face and hair are grouped, so they move together, along with the earrings from before. I didn't realise they were grouped already, but I don't hate it.

"Should I remove the earrings?"

"No. They're part of Maxine's signature look. They have to stay on. We'll make it work. I've got ideas for your makeup."

"Great. I'll get the arms and legs in the right place."

Tessa looks at me with a puzzled expression. "So you do the limbs before the body?"

"Solidly, yeah. The clothes cover the body, so no point drawing a model only to go over it again. I can get the angle from the limbs and shape it from there." Saying it sounds weird. "It's probably not the way to do it. It's just the way that makes sense to me."