shapes in the tooth of the paper

I’ve been excavating the Creativity Room closet, finding treasures amidst the heap of papers and boxes in its depths.

Old rectangular beeswax crayons call. 

I take a colored pencil sketch I was doing of my thigh in light and shadow, a practice exercise that had served its purpose. I take an orange crayon and start swiping boldly over the drawing of the thigh. Another crayon soon joins the first.

What is this? A tree?

I swipe more crayons and shapes emerge in the tooth of the paper. A naked woman, reclining, viewed from the feet.  I give her more definition. While filling in the background, a naked man (anatomically correct) appears in the shadows around her.

Keep working on your drawings, I have read. Most people call their work done long before it’s ready, artists caution.

I give up hope several times and put away my drawing, a little guilty at rendering a scene of lovemaking. Later, something niggles at my mind and I take it out again. A little more definition, a little more shading. Take the concept deeper.