Valeria 1053

Original painting by Michele Petrelli ©

Drawing from memory

In addition to portraits, I like to draw the human figure and particularly the nude of the woman. I don't use any reference images. The figures therefore turn out to be slightly abstract. The anatomies are lifelike but not realistic. Drawing that starts from memory or dream is just like that: some of it is real, some of it is not. While drawing I can freely decide how much I want to widen a pelvis or how much I want to lengthen legs or other ideas that come to me at the moment. Faces are hinted at. On whole figures they don't matter too much to me. While creating dil drawing from memory I hardly erase. More like I transform. A previous line can become a shadow if I reinforce it with other lines. Or I can leave it in the background as a dynamic line. I like a "lived-in" drawing that is not too clean. Drawing from memory can be much more personal than a copy drawing from life but it is not easy to organize shapes while remaining harmonious. I don't always succeed.