Reflections on Life Drawing II

Actors are taught that a person’s back view speaks volumes. I believe it’s the same for artists, so can’t understand when drawing students complain about the boredom of getting the back view of the model. But it’s not a simple view to draw. What does the back say about the front of the figure, what are its volumes, is it fragile or monumental, are it’s curves and modelling subtle or rugged and do they show tensions, what internals does the skin cloak? I also find it intriguing to consider the weight of the head it supports and how what it supports from the front (breasts, belly, size of ribcage) affects how it reads. I’m still learning to draw this well. And the back of the neck is particularly intriguing. The sheer beauty of this sight in my own young children was so perfect I couldn’t draw it!