"No, Alex, I know your preferred drawing style is Manga, and I've got no problem with that! Sure, you can take characters from someone else for this assignment. But no drawing style can simply ignore foreshortening, the closer you come to the viewer, the larger objects become."
"I know! I just can't seem to get it right," she looked positively uncomfortable as I came closer to inspect the scantily clothed characters. Something else was odd, too. Strangely, I couldn't say what it was. However, the class was already done, my students were leaving.
"Since you have to turn it in next class, how about I tutor you today? Today is the only day I have a free afternoon," I had to add a quick, "I won't charge you extra. You do have potential, but foreshortening can't be ignored, once you get this right, I'm pretty sure you can do whatever you want."
Being so close in age to my students made it hard for me not to look at them like friends, more than simply students. Her face lit up.
That was how we were at her boyfriend's apartment a couple of hours later, waiting for him to show up. I had noticed the draped couch on the drawing was the same as the one at the apartment. We had already placed a mirror in front of it so we could compare perspectives. Her cellphone buzzed.
"Oh. I'm sorry, I made you come all the way here for nothing! My boyfriend will have to cover for a coworker and he won't make it here until it's too late," Alex looked utterly crestfallen.
"I could be the guy in the drawing," I held my hands up, "I'll be far more clothed, of course."
She smiled nervously at that, "if you don't mind?"
We got on the couch with the mirror almost touching our feet, I placed myself behind her and gently lifted her leg just like the drawing. Hearing a gasp, I decided to ignore that reaction, "now, see how my legs look larger just because I'm closer to the mirror? You don't want them to have exactly the same width all along.The legs should become thicker as you get closer to the viewer."
As Alex worked, I could see the improvement as she looked intently on our legs, but her breath was becoming more shallow. I was beginning to suspect something, but then I noticed something else.
"These were supposed to be nudes and I let you add some Michaelangelo-styled pieces of vaporous cloth, but the idea of practicing nude drawing is also about muscles and joints... look, right where my butt ends and the leg begins, there should be a little extra line and the shadow looks too much like the shadow of clothing... no, more rounded... no, here, what I mean... you know what? Let me show you."
Without much consideration, I slipped out of my jeans and took my previous pose, she might have gasped, but then I pointed at the place where my butt began, "even with boxers it's visible: this line here... and here, look at the shadow on the lower part of my leg. See the curve here?"
Alex nodded nervously but kept quiet.
"Oh, shit, sorry, does this make you uncomfortable?" I asked, but she shook her head, her cheeks flushed... I had to say something, "aw, come on! You have a boyfriend, you have surely seen more than this!"
Alex blushed harder and glued her eyes to her drawing.
"Very good!" I was so pleased with the evolution in her drawing that I was immune to the effects of a girl's body against mine, "now do almost the same with your legs. Do remember how calves and thighs are different when it comes to men and women... no, not like that. Far more round than what you're doing... nope, not that much."
I took her jeans and pulled the cloth hard against her body so the silhouette could be seen better. She was still not getting it to look with the correct proportions.
"OK. Listen to me very carefully. Would you be too weirded out if you do the same? Take your jeans off, so you can compare. Before you say anything, Alex, I just want you to make sure you feel no pressure to do this now."
"I...ah... no. It's all right," she stammered. Looking too self conscious, she peeled the garment off. Once again, her drawing improved immensely. I looked between the mirror and her drawing.