Description

Foreshortened Nude Drawing

Foreshortened Nude Drawing is a charcoal figure drawing of a nude woman on her back with one knee up. The composition is dramatically foreshortened, so that her foot is coming out of the page towards us. 

The composition is also made up of pleasing diagonal lines that cross each other: the angle of her raised leg is perpendicular to her lowered leg. And the angle of her bicep and breast is perpendicular to her rump and to the edge of the bed.

The ‘gravity’ lines at the base of her body are dark and heavy, while the lines that are in the light are softer and more subtle. Charcoal is a wonderful drawing medium for achieving these contrasting lights and darks.

The paper I used is Fabriano, which is acid-free and good quality paper with a lovely texture.

I did this drawing from life, from a posing model, in only 30 minutes. 

By setting a time limit, and drawing exclusively from life, the artist is forced to reveal their thoughts, mistakes, their personality, their searching for expression, their recognition and understanding of forms, and their connection with the medium and the model.

In much the same way as one discloses oneself through their handwriting, so an artist reveals their inner life through their lines.  

See more Nude Figure Drawings

• About
• Latest Posts

Damian Osborne

Damian Osborne is a fine artist from Cape Town, South Africa. Taking inspiration from the Old Master traditions, from nature, and from the people around him (especially his wife), he tries to push beyond the mediocre and aim for mastery in his paintings.

Latest posts by Damian Osborne (see all)

• What’s the Point of Creating When No One Cares? - 24th August 2025
• Fantasia No.6 in G minor (The Cockatrice) - 3rd May 2025
• Rebirth: Starting Over as an Artist — Part 1 - 17th April 2025