Wednesday, October 22, 2008

In Small Proportions We Just Beauties See.

The proportions of my Paper Doll have been bothering me. I should have consulted my bible on Dürer: Albrecht Dürer - The Complete Woodcuts. Yes, I rather think I should have ...



I am going through all my old art books again, appreciating them anew.
In small proportions we just beauties see;
And in short measures, life may perfect be.
(Lines from the poem by Ben Jonson)

9 comments:

Linda Sue said...

SEE? Now that is a REAL woman shape! Love the booty, like a camels hump used for survival. We shall see who survives- runway sticks or women with some reserve!

evencleveland said...

It would be really awesome to use these as a basis for a set of paper dolls.

Anairam said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anairam said...

Linda Sue - I so agree with you! I feel quite nauseous when I see pictures of models and their legs and arms are just skin and bone.
Stephanie - Hey, great minds think alike! I had the same idea! They would be quite 'arty' dolls because I would like to keep the measurement markings. Not sure what clothes would work with that idea, though ...

Jesse said...

Those are fascinating drawings!

kendalee said...

Very cool drawings and I would love to see some paper dolls based on these - markings and all!

Please may I also say that - in defense of the scrawny - there are people who are genetically this way, through no fault of their own. While I too abhor the way that thin is touted as THE way to be, people come in ALL shapes and sizes. I am naturally skinny but would like to think that I might also qualify as a REAL woman?!

I do have weird feet as well and like your lovely paper doll, I paint my toenails red in the hope that people will just be distracted by the pretty colours! ;)

Anairam said...

jesse - Aren't they just? I love that Durer book of mine, but I sometimes feel a strong urge to colour in the plates. Eeeeek! I think I had better make some photocopies to have on hand before I succumb and ruin my beautiful book and Durer's wonderful woodcuts ...

kenda lee - Oh, I agree with you that women come in variety of sizes and shapes, and that we are ALL real women! (Even when a woman starves herself wilfully I could never suggest that based on that she is not a real woman!) My comment about feeling nauseous was really aimed at those sections of the fashion industry that encourage models (and women) to be ultra-thin, with little regard of the ways those women then use to maintain the desired size and shape, and the health and psychological risks involved in doing that. I am declaring next Friday "I AM A REAL WOMAN" day, so let's all dress deliciously and flout our bodies whatever shape and size they may be!

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

I think this is hauntingly quite beautiful! Feel free to drop by & hope to hear from you... Loving artistic visual delights indeed!

Anairam said...

Oops - did I mean to say flout?! I think not! Something with an "fl" anyway. (This is the disadvantage of not being a first-language English speaker ...) Flounce maybe? Or Flourish? No, that is not it either. Flaunt!!!! FLAUNT our bodies. Jeeeeezzzz!