This month’s featured gallery is Artistic Nudes. The nude is a classic subject for artists and is of endless fascination and challenge. There are many types of nudes, in all degrees of undress and all manner of poses. Some are intended to make a statement, some are part of a story and some are just a celebration of the human form.

Melissa Tobia

Woman Laying On Red Pillow - Melissa Tobia

I find drawing nudes to be one of the hardest tests of skill as an artist. When I draw a nude, it tests my technique, my sight, and my ability to bring out the subject’s personality. A nude drawing shows the subject’s vulnerabilities, their soul, their character and personality and also how the artist views them. Every human being has a story that we can all connect to, and the artist must be able to show that story. It is important to me as an artist to be able to capture the intensity of emotions and feelings of the subject as it is to capture the subject’s likeness. There is such a beauty in the human form and its anatomy; more so, when you can also see and feel the vulnerabilities that all human beings share. – Melissa Tobia