Nudes. The study of the female and male form have been a favorite subject matter for artists since, well, since forever.  As far back there is evidence of this fact. In 28,000-25,000 BCE the Venus/Woman of Willendorf was created, during the paleolithic era. Found in a cave in Austria, she was created out of a type of limestone that was not typical of the region in which she was discovered and tinted with color.  

I personally think she is beautiful and she has long been considered a fertility statue. Recently, there has been some to hypothesize that she could have been a actually been a self portrait. Not sure I want to think of her has a paleolithic "selfie", but I suppose it is one possibility. 

A recent interest in nude art work has re-kindled interest in my surreal work and lead me to begin to create this lady. At this stage I next need to decide the direction I will go. 

The three images below are steps in the process. 

canvas: 24 x 36 inches

Medium: pencil (watercolor) and acrylics 

Step One: The sketch

There is nothing as humbling as drawing, sketching or painting the human body. Young, old, middle aged, it is such a thing of beauty and wonder.                         -Mary Jean Mailloux

Step Two: Filling in the figure and working from bottom (of canvas, not hers) upward
(which is actually a no no-I should be working backwards to front, which also sounds like a pun)

the nakedness of woman is the work of god -william blake

Step Three: Adding color and shadowing to figure and more detail to the drapery 

Every artist undresses his subject, whether human or still life. It is his business to find essences in surfaces, and what more attractive and challenging surface than the skin around a soul? -richard corliss

Peace,

Valerie