Portraits from Pictures

Ever since she could remember, Diane was always interested in art - be it paintings, sculpture, or photography. During high school, she took a few random classes, but nothing held her attention for long. The teachers were indifferent, and the students wanted an easy grade. But when she attended college and entered upper level courses, the world of art became her calling. The professors were riveting, the students were amazingly talented, and she felt in her heart that this would become her life's work.

The 3-dimensional facet of sculpture was intriguing. The ability to click multiple photographs and pick her favorites provided immediate gratification. But it was painting that pulled at Diane's heartstrings. She loved the colors, the texture, and the cold or warmth that painting projected.

During her junior year, she met Brad—also a junior but a business major. As college courses and time went by, they became a closer couple. Both agreed they had found true love and began planning for life after college. Graduation arrived, and Brad received his business degree while Diane's art degree became the first step of making her dream a reality.

Married a year after graduation, they were soon blessed with the news that she was expecting their first child. Brad's business track was slowly taking shape, but her artistic dreams were to be delayed. She accepted that motherhood, being the supportive spouse, and community volunteering took precedence and were all rewarding. However, the artsy side of Diane never left. It was merely on hold.

As the years went by, their youngest child of three was eventually entering college. Diane hinted to Brad at the idea of returning to the classroom to pursue a master's degree—at least part-time. His encouragement—and a literal bear-hug embrace at hearing her idea—made her heart jump.

Life was wonderful. Their children were on the road to success. She had a loving and supportive husband. And once more, she had a chance to pursue her dreams.

However, fate would be cruel to them when Brad was diagnosed. They did their best to "make every minute count", but that cliché wore thin as his condition quickly deteriorated and hospital visits made for most of their time together. They planned for the inevitable, but it arrived too soon. Although Diane had time to say her goodbyes, the shock and emptiness was still overwhelming.

###

TWO YEARS LATER

Supportive family and friends had kept her afloat and given her space to grieve. She finally felt ready to face the future on her own...and with her head held high. On a beautiful April day, Diane decided that the local college was getting a new enrollee for the fall.

Most classes were held locally, however an online one titled "Portraits from Pictures" sounded particularly rewarding. It was limited to 60 students, and the instructor was on the opposite side of the country. She felt privileged to be part.

In this course, the artist would photograph and/or video the subject, then those images would serve as the basis for creating a painting. Diane was uncertain about her photographic abilities, but the photos/videos were strictly the tool—just like a brush, paint, and canvass. The resulting painting would be the final vision of artist's intent.

The instructor said that as a final course project, the students were to create a painting of her/his choosing. The grades for the semester would then be closed, but he would select three students to visit him at his California studio to spend two days on a specific project, which would ultimately be displayed in his gallery.

The class was amazing. Diane rekindled skills that she had thought time had erased. Her enthusiasm and the instructor's apparent love of teaching made for a wonderful experience.

Although she originally thought being a finalist a long-shot, as the semester progressed, she felt confident that being in the top five was not out of the question. The time came, and final projects were submitted to be critiqued by the instructor and students alike. Oh, how she loved being back in the art world!

Three days after the final, Diane received an email stating that she had placed in the top three. Without delay, the flight arrangements were made. Unfortunately, flying and winter storms sometimes go hand-in-hand, and she was delayed in Chicago during her layover to California. With all flights cancelled, she would have to spend the night in a hotel.

Upon entering the local Marriott, the concierge was a handsome young man, perhaps 25, who reminded her of Brad in his college years. His nametag read Clayton, but in Diane's mind, that was an old man's name, and his face looked too young to fit. During their first conversation, she called him 'Clay,' and it seemed to stick.

Once settled in her room, she placed a desperate call to the instructor to describe the predicament. He said he had two former students in the area that may be able to serve as models. However, those plans would be dashed with the increasingly terrible weather. As she tried to make a Plan B and drown her sorrows at the hotel restaurant, Clay approached her. He stated that although his concierge shift was over, he had volunteered to cover a fellow employee's shift in another department due to the bad weather. Tonight, he was on bar duty.

With few guests in the restaurant, they had chance to chat. Having already enjoyed a few drinks, spilling out her heart to a stranger was easy. Speaking with Clay - someone so full of life, dreams, and potential - Diane felt as though time had briefly gone back to her carefree college days. She smiled at his innocent face and was reminded of those long evening discussions with Brad.

As a typical college student, Clay mentioned about his need for extra money to make tuition and payments on his car. As the conversation progressed into more personal areas, Diane felt it was O.K. for her to ask if he would consider being her art model. They discussed compensation, what would be expected, and the ability to stop the modeling session if either of them felt uncomfortable. His acceptance was both a relief and a thrill. Although she had seen many handsome and beautiful models, this would be the first time that she—and not the instructor—would be giving the subject direction.

###

DAY 1:

The next afternoon, Diane rearranged the room with two video cameras connected to her laptop. She had a Nikon at the ready for the individual shots. After setting up numerous lamps, she scattered various pillows on and around the bed.

Clay arrived at the door at the designated time of 2:00 pm. The log-in time with the instructor was scheduled for thirty minutes later. Diane and Clay chit-chatted briefly about the previous night's discussions, and although a bit nervous, they were both excited about this project - Clay about the money, and Diane about her artistic endeavor.

With five minutes left, Diane pointed him in the direction of the room to prepare. He reappeared wrapped in a hotel robe and sandals. Promptly at 2:30, the instructor's voice was heard from the speakers on her laptop. She turned the video cameras on. Show Time.

The instructor mentioned that he would be working with all three groups during the two-day session. As a result, he may occasionally mute the Chicago feed while he spoke with his students in California. He also reiterated that while he would offer general guidance, it was up to the artist to provide the final decisions for the subject's pose.

The title of the work would be "As a Lover Waits." The artist's subject would be on the bed anxiously waiting for an unseen lover in the next room. In each instance, the artist would speak to the subject and instructor; however the subject would remain silent.

The first day would have the subject on the bed with the artist giving instruction and developing each pose. On the second day, the artist and the subject would trade places with the subject manipulating the artist. The artist would then give the instructor verbal explanation as to how she felt and what the subject's reasoning for such positioning might be.

As Diane gestured for Clay to move to the bed, her heart skipped a beat. She was in the presence of a young, handsome, virile man who would serve as her living, breathing art. He would pose, change expression, and reveal his beautiful body however she desired.

Before getting onto the bed, Clay awkwardly kicked off his sandals and removed the robe to reveal that he was shirtless but wearing a towel around his waist. The instructor said he always found that with younger or novice artists, too much attention was paid to "the privates" if those were exposed at the beginning. He wanted his students to concentrate on the subject's other attributes before revealing what was beneath the towel.

Diane had Clay lean on his right side before she propped several pillows beneath his right elbow. His left foot was brought up to the back of his outstretched right leg. He blankly starred at the other bedroom door. An extremely boring pose, but Diane had to start somewhere.

The instructor chimed in to say for Diane to influence the subject's facial expression. She attempted a few relaxation techniques from one of her previous psychology classes, but those were useless.

As Diane stood in front of Clay and leaned over to adjust his chin, he glanced forward, apparently at her bosom just a few inches away from him. She was wearing a loose-fitting, button-down shirt which had spatters of paint from numerous other artistic endeavors. She was braless as per her normal practice when she painted at home. She hadn't intentionally provided this view, but in hindsight, she was putting her subject into the right mindset.

Diane tilted Clay's head a bit in order for his left ear to better hear what the unseen lover was doing in the other room. Clay flinched slightly when she placed her hand on his skin. She suddenly realized this was the first time they'd touched. She tried to keep her voice soothing, although she could tell it was shaky. She hoped he was comfortable on the sheets and pillows. But when he winked at her, she was the one to feel slightly awkward and let out a muffled, girlish giggle.

His left leg would be the next item to adjust. She wanted his knee a bit lower. Without asking, she brought one hand under his heal while placing her other against his upper thigh. She achieved the position she desired, but she realized she should have given Clay a warning of where her hands would be. Diane stepped back, clicked numerous pictures with the Nikon, and swept her eyes across the entire room.

The instructor excused himself to say that he would mute their conversation while he spoke with the other artists.

Diane spoke to Clay to ask how things were going. He said he was comfortable at being an artist's subject and would think of this adventure while he endured boring college classes. She made a quick visit to the kitchenette for some juice and made two plates of strawberries and chocolate. Clay said he enjoyed being served by his lovely hostess. And he also brought the growing storm outside to her attention.

Through the windows of the adjacent room, she watched the swirling wind and rapidly-accumulating snow. Yesterday, her wish was to be in sunny California. But not today. She would not change her place in stormy Chicago. She knew her presence in this room would sow the seeds for her future in the world of art.

When the instructor clicked back to Diane and Clay, he critiqued Clay's expression and body positioning. Not to be critical of Diane, but he stated that Clay's body language appeared too tense and his hair was too neat. He suggested for Diane to massage Clay's shoulders and mess his hair up a bit.

While Clay stayed in the same position, Diane made her way behind him. Her fingers slowly massaged his shoulders and top of his head. She then worked her fingers through his hair. She loved the way the thickness moved through her fingers, and she detected a sigh from him when she began a rhythmic stroking. She slowly caressed his neck and moved back down to his shoulders again.

Diane enjoyed the closeness with her subject. And she was feeling a tingling sensation associated with a building warmth of physical interaction.

New input from the instructor startled her back to reality. The instructor told Diane to step back and note the ease of Clay's appearance. It was quite noticeable, and Diane quickly used the Nikon to capture the moment. She noticed the peaceful and expectant look on Clay's face - as though he had enjoyed the massage as much as she had.

She also saw that his knee had opened up a bit wider than before. Although still covered, Diane observed the outline of Clay's private area against the towel. She would patiently and professionally continue her positioning, taking pictures, and conversations with the instructor, but she knew both a professional goal and a personal fantasy may both come true with this session.

Diane made both Clay and the instructor aware that she was pleased with the current positioning. That she would now remove the towel in order to complete her subject's pose.

For a moment, Clay's eyes locked onto hers. She wished she could read his thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she focused her attention on opening the present before her. She pulled back the first side and laid it on the bed. Then she carefully reached for the other side so as not to touch Clay. She placed the second side on the bed and pressed it smooth with her hand.

All the while, she avoided a direct gaze at Clay's manhood. But she could avoid it no longer. Inwardly, she sighed with pleasure at the length, thickness, and shape of his semi-erect penis. Looking back into Clay's eyes, she detected a glimmer of confidence that stated, "Yes, you have just gazed upon me, and your womanly desires cannot be hidden."

Behind her, the instructor's voice reminded Diane why he had insisted on having the privates covered until this moment. Diane's artistic self returned, and she acknowledged her instructor's wisdom.

While Clay remained in the same position, Diane again picked up the Nikon. This time, she not only took pictures from the sides, but she also stood on a nearby chair to take photos from above. The one which most intrigued her was when she stood behind Clay and aimed the lens down his chest towards his penis. While the instructor had no video image of this, Diane would always have these shots for her personal collection.

While stating to the instructor about increased shadow here, and less shadow there, Diane gradually manipulated Clay's legs and torso. While she worked, she noticed that not only could she see more and more of his penis, but it also continued to lengthen. Her own private area moistened with this visual pleasure.

With another move, she intentionally reached towards Clay's thigh. She didn't apologize when she brushed the back of her hand against his testicles. Though she did admit that this latest adjustment achieved her intended pose, and the scene was complete.

Having taken multiple pictures and realizing that the time for today's session had elapsed, she confirmed with the instructor that she was satisfied with her Day 1 objectives. Signing off with the instructor, Diane turned to see that Clay had already moved out of position and was getting his clothing back on.

She thought to herself if she had crossed a line and ruined the possibility of a Day 2 session. Clay had seemed uncomfortable, but now, he appeared that he couldn't gather his things fast enough.

Diane asked if she could treat him to dinner, but he said that he would not be able to join her tonight. Knowing that he was staying at the hotel throughout the storm, she felt uncomfortable asking about his plans for the evening. She stated that she was very pleased at how Day 1 had gone and allowed for a pregnant pause hoping that Clay would confirm his satisfaction as well. However, there was no response. So she asked him directly to give a critique of the session.

Clay made his way to the fridge. In typical college-boy fashion, he grabbed a beer, chugged it down, and crushed the can in his hand. Only then did he walk toward her. Standing closer than she would have expected, he stated that the day itself had been great, but it had brought back feelings of a former girlfriend who had broken his heart. His voice seemed serious while his eyes appeared angry when he stated that the bitch stole a piece of his heart, and for the first time in two years, he saw in someone else's eyes that maybe it wasn't his fault after all.

Diane didn't want to press the issue, but inwardly breathed a sigh of relief knowing that she did not step over any boundaries. With that, he thanked her for the opportunity to be her subject and looked forward to being back tomorrow at 2:00 pm.

###

DAY 2:

On the second day, Clay had the opportunity to create the scene. Diane left him alone for a few minutes to prepare. Upon her return, Clay looked up. She pulled the sides of the plush, white robe tighter. To her surprise, she saw the cameras located away from the bed and around an oversized easy chair which Clay brought into the middle of the room. The chair was upholstered in a merlot-red rough cloth material. Dark and deeply-sculpted wood adorned the legs and framework of the chair.

When she approached her posing area, the instructor said for her to walk around the chair and tell us why this chair—not the bed—was being used. While she slowly walked around it, she mentioned that the dark and rough material would provide a vivid contrast to her fair, soft, and smooth skin. Whereas the bed would have allowed her to lie down, the chair would force her to sit upright. By doing so, her posture would be accentuated, and therefore her breasts would be prominently displayed.

The instructor grunted in apparent agreement with Diane's thoughts.

Once she sat down, Clay carefully placed her legs behind her and to the left. He took her right arm and placed it on the dark wood of the armrest and positioned her hand to grasp the rounded curve at the front. Her left hand remained in her lap.

In contrast to Clay's pose, which had his head turned as though to help him hear his lover better, he had Diane facing straight ahead with her eyes dramatically looking sideways towards the door. She was to be looking for the first sign of her lover entering the room, rather than trying to hear his approach.

With her head, body, and legs in an initial pose, the time arrived for Clay to open her robe. Prior to reaching for the robe's belt, he looked deeply into Diane's eyes, stroked her cheek, and gave a small acknowledging nod as if to say he was ready to behold her beauty and sought her permission to do so. She smiled back at Clay's gaze while she spoke to the instructor.

Diane mentioned that for all her years of art appreciation, she had never been the object of the art. Rather, she had always been the observer or creator. The instructor replied that for her to know the feelings of being the subject would forever make her a more thoughtful artist, and this was his intention for the Day 2 session.

Clay loosened the belt and lifted the shoulder portion of the robe off her body. He maintained eye contact throughout the process, but Diane yearned for him to view her soft, wanting breasts. No sooner had she had this desire than she witnessed his eyes move to her neck, her shoulders, and ultimately her breasts. Her breathing became a more shallow, and her chest rose and fell. Several times, she felt the cool air of the room being edged aside by the warmth of Clay's breath against her hardening nipples.

The instructor chimed in to mention that Diane looked relaxed and was pleased by Clay's attention to the arrangement of the scene, including a small table with a vase overflowing with colorful flowers.