Laura Dodsworth has inspired this sketchbook spread – click here to see Laura’s work in a Guardian article.
After a friend sent me a link to this article, I thought I’d like to draw breasts, you know, how you do.
I like Laura Dodsworth’s work here because it is important; we are all (men and women) constantly bombarded with airbrushed images of perfect bodies and it is easy to loose sight of the reality.
I remember, aged 19, when first attending a gym in Italy, that I was quite surprised by the difference in women’s bodies. I was shocked because in English gyms the changing rooms were not communal. I tried not to look too much, but it was fascinating to realise that I was just like other female humans and not an imperfect reject of a woman! And of course, as an artist there are life drawing classes, I’ve seen plenty of naked people of a range of shapes and sizes and yet still compare myself to the unrealistic images we see in films. It is normal, I guess – but not good for us. So I enjoyed looking long enough at these sets of breasts to draw them, which forced me to really look, and take in that breasts are soooo different.
Another reason Dodsworth’s work stands out is for including the women’s opinions of their own breasts. Long having had issues with my own body-image, especially my breasts, it has been a little bit of a cathartic day, drawing real breasts – and well, they are rather good things to draw.
I’d love it if anyone would like to comment on the issue of body image – or the artwork. I am still in full love affair with coloured pencils. I don’t know what anyone else thinks but this affair has a long way to run yet… I am also thinking of putting together a sister blog, where I write on ‘issues’ that I have thoughts on, such as: parenting, higher education Fine Art courses, my experience of teaching on BTEC, er.. a conversation I heard on the bus, or politics, science – I don’t know… but the only proviso being that I also have to illustrate it! (Well, if no one is going to commission me – I may as well commission myself!).
Natalie Eldred 
You hit the nail on the head — even though we are bombarded with images depicting the “ideal” men and women, the reality is that none of us live up to that standard. (And yes, that causes problems) Great work, both in technique and scope, to address this issue.
Thank you Jeff, I can’t really claim the ‘idea’ for this as that really belongs to Laura Dodsworth, but I hope that if she saw my drawings she’d be pleased by the continuance (is that a word?) of her idea and discussions around idealised body image. As for technique, I’m glad you like it because I feel like ‘I’m getting into the swing with this coloured pencil thing’… 🙂
Hello there, Laura Dodsworth does indeed appreciate the idea and discussions 😉 Could you please drop me an email I would like to ask you something? info@barereality.net
I’m glad that women are experiencing an awakening in the appreciation of their bodies. I think, However, that us men have a way to go before we experience the same. My own changing room experience was quite the opposite of yours. I was struck by how inadequate my penis was compared to the other men. I felt like I was still a little boy compared to them. When I reached puberty my body’s development seemed to have skipped my genitalia, leaving me with the proportions of a boy in that area. My experience with women has only reinforced that poor self image – for some reason a small penis is a source of great amusement and a discussion point amongst any young woman I’ve been with and her friends. I’ve even had a girl ask me in front of her friends whether I’m “the guy with the baby dick?”
It would be great to see an appreciation of the various shapes and sizes of all men in the arts. I have not seen that yet. But, perhaps things will change.
Just had to get that off my chest. 😉