I had the final sitting with the model for my latest painting recently and now that the painting is finished I want to say something about the genre of the nude and also about the working process I find myself more and more committed to.
Firstly, the nude has been a recurring subject for me ever since that first life drawing session at art school years ago. I think that it’s one of the most difficult subjects to work with and I always enjoy the chance to draw or paint from the nude.
Finding or hiring models to pose for life paintings can be a problem, I have quite a long painting process and it makes it difficult for me to afford professional life models. It’s also an unusual request to make of one’s friends!
In the past I’ve made drawings from life and then made paintings from the drawings. However, in recent years I’ve been making lots of painted portraits of my friends from life and I’ve become dissatisfied with any other process. Working from drawings or photos doesn’t seem sufficient any more and although I’ve been able to regularly draw the nude from life I’ve not had the chance to paint a nude from life for some time.
I am hugely indebted therefore and extremely grateful to the brave, bold and beautiful model in my latest painting, a HUGE thank you to her and here is the painting.
The male and female nudes behind the model in the picture are examples of past paintings made using drawings, the original images are on my earlier blog page dedicated to the nude, here’s the link:
https://simontolhurst.wordpress.com/2006/03/21/the-section-youve-all-been-waiting-for/
Simon Tolhurst 
Hi Simon, this is Kenzo from life drawing. This painting is fantastic! With another 150 years of life drawing classes, I wonder if I could get close to being able to do something like this!
Anyway, I forgot to get your email address so I’m glad I found your site – didn’t realise you had such a great blog. The site we’ve set up is love life drawing – we’re hoping it’ll be a nice place for ppl to come and learn about life drawing or share info and pictures. Is it okay to put in some links to your blog on the site or perhaps showcase some of your pictures in the gallery? Any feedback on what we should do with it much appreciated! Plus I’d love to interview you for a podcast if you have time 🙂
Hi Kenzo, thank you so much and I’m glad you like it. The link in your message didn’t seem to be working but I found your blog at http://www.lovelifedrawing.com and it looks great. My email is simontolhurst@gmail.com drop me a line there, I’m happy to help with images or an interview and grateful for any links to my page that you want to put!
Thanks again and speak soon.
Simon
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