Lana Svirezheva made this large graphite drawing during an intense life session with a model named Heba. Known for her dedication to capturing the essence of her subjects, Svirezheva used the last pose of the evening, five minutes long, to make the largest drawing of the evening, on a1 size paper. The result is a piece that radiates both power and beauty, where every stroke of graphite is maximally efficient, to the point of tearing through the paper a bit when drawing the eyebrow.
In this portrayal of Heba, the drawing stands out as a celebration of feminine strength and goddess-like beauty. Heba’s commanding presence is rendered with a dynamic range of graphite techniques, where bold, assertive lines meet soft, subtle shading, and even watercolor-like elements where the graphite powder was combined with water. The interplay of light and shadow accentuates her upright form while also conveying an aura of grace and poise.
