An Artist's Touch - [ryden AU] {COMPLETED ✔️}

Chapter 2 - Loser (Beck ; 1993)

Ross

After Brendon told us those things about himself, we had forty-five minutes left of class, and Mr. Way decided we start off with something simple. Our assignment was to make an outline of his body while he sat on the stool in the middle of the room. "Get it as near to perfect as you can," he explained to us. "Literally, think of this as being a Polaroid photo of Brendon, and you're drawing him, but not filling anything in. Like a chalk outline, but with much more detail. Everyone understand?" We all nodded softly and he clapped his hands together. "Excellent. Begin."

I stared at the masterpiece in front of me and squinted my eyes slightly, taking in the curve of his elbows that were bent by his hips and the way his hand cupped his knees perfectly as he sat perfectly still for the class. I took in his jawline and the way his chin stuck out slightly away from the rest of his face, the way his small shoulders were in perfect alignment with one another and the way his ears stuck out slightly from underneath his hair.

I have to do this right. I have to do it justice.

I picked up my charcoal shading pencil and rested the tip towards the bottom of the page, deciding to start from the legs of the stool first and go up to end with the outlines of his hair. I took in a deep breath and gently began sketching. The stool would be easy, it's not like I haven't sketched one before. Curve the legs in a way that each once would be about a centimeter shorter than the previous one to make it look more three-dimensional. The only difference this time is to leave breaks in the legs and prongs that would be replaced by the outlines of Brendon's legs and feet. I finish the stool in less then two minuets, switching charcoal pencils so I could start with one that had a finer point.

Outlining his feet would be simple. He wasn't wearing shoes, meaning I would be recreating the shape of his toes and his heels, along with the arches in his feet. Easy. Simple. Moving up, outlining the way his jeans pool around his ankles slightly, meaning his jeans must be too long for his legs. Not surprising, he looks semi-short, shorter than me anyway. Done.

Going upward, the curve of his hands that are cupped over his knees is a little trickier, because I also have to sketch the shape of his knuckles that prominently stick out from the natural curve of his hands. They look like small knolls on his hands, beautifully shaped by nature. Onto the curves of his elbows. They're brought inwards to rest against his hips, making it easier for me to sketch since now I don't have to shape his hips. Make sure to intricately get the shape of the crook of his elbow on both sides to show the way they're bent and at what angle they are.

Done. Pick up a new pencil, start on the shapes of his shoulders. They aren't slumped, but neither are they shown as being at an upright position, curve them just that way. There's no point to his shoulders, just a round curve that leads right up to the base of his neck on both sides. Done. Now, for probably the hardest part of this whole assignment; trying to capture the shape of his head and face perfectly. His face is slightly turned to the right, letting me see his left profile ever so slightly and just enough that his chin is away from his body by about half an inch and his nose points out about a centimeter. I pick up another charcoal stick with a finer point and start with the angle of his chin and begin to shape his cheeks all the way up to the curve of his forehead. I was able to get in the curve of his ear the poked out from under his hair slightly. Getting the shape his hair wasn't that difficult, just little fly-aways here and there that seemed to accentuate his face even more than it already was.

I put on the last pencil mark, and stared at my work before setting my pencil down. I took my fingers and rubbed the pencil marks outward, making the sketch smudged slightly to look like there was a glow coming off of his outline. When I was done, I looked back forth between Brendon and the sketch-Brendon and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as I ran my hand through my hair softly. I looked at the clock and took note of the time. Two minutes before class was to be over and I just finished. I took my time.

I never take my time on a sketch.

Mr. Way appeared at my side, staring at my work intently. He let out a breathy laugh and rested his hand on my shoulder. "Ryan," he said softly, "it is true that you are one of my most gifted students, but this is phenomenal. Really amazing job, Ross."

I smiled shyly, looking down at my charcoal smudged fingers as he spoke again. "Mind if I show this to the class?"

I felt my breath hitch slightly before shaking my head. "N-No, sir," I said quietly. "I don't mind."

Mr. Way smiled softly before removing my canvas from my easel and grabbed the classes attention. "Class," he said softly, making everyone - including Brendon - look at him. "I want you all to look at Mr. Ross' work, and I want you to see how you're supposed to be seeing the model in the room. You need to capture the essence, the projection that this model is supposed to be showing to you. Take a look at Mr. Ross' work here."

He holds up my sketch, moving it around for the whole class to see. When Brendon looks at the sketch, his face lights up in a way that can only be described as a man who was once blind seeing himself for the first time. His eyes move over to me, and mine cast down to my hands nervously.

Mr. Way hands me back my work and nods his head at me. "Wonderful job, Ryan," he says quietly the class claps for me softly. But Brendon's eyes look like he's trying to figure something out. Like he's trying to figure me out.

I'm a wreck, Brendon, I think to myself. Don't try to figure me out.

I can't even figure myself out.