Very, very detailed

As the class neared the end it was time for each pair to present their sketches to the other students.

As the first pair, Lucy Smallman and James Worsley stood at the front of the class the teacher reminded everybody to be respectful of all of the artwork they were about to see. Art, she explained, is subjective and should not be evaluated on technical ability alone. Therefore everybody’s work deserved to be valued and appreciated.

It was worth making this speech, because when James revealed his drawing of Lucy it was clearly shit. Quiet giggles spread through the class as James presented what looked a little like a drawing of an aubergine with eyes. The teacher asked Lucy to sit on a chair in the same pose which her partner had drawn so that everybody could see his inspiration, but it didn’t really help.

Lucy’s artwork, on the other hand, was extremely lifelike. James struck the same pose which Lucy had drawn, and her drawing could almost have been a photograph.

Each pair walked to the front of the class, and each student was instructed to hold the pose drawn by their partner in order for the class to evaluate each sketch.

Then it was Loraine and Stinton’s turn.

Loraine felt a quantum of relief at being able, if only for a short time, to hold the large sheet of paper with her sketch of Stinton in front of her nakedness. It didn’t cover everything of course, but at least it was something.

The teacher told Stinton to assume the pose which Loraine had drawn, which was an image of him looking down at his phone with the end of his pencil in his mouth. Everybody had to agree that her sketch was actually pretty good.

‘Okay, Stinton,’ instructed the teacher, ‘please show us your sketch, and Loraine, please hold the pose which Stinton has drawn.’

The class burst out laughing at Stinton’s artwork. It showed not a drawing of Loraine sitting in her chair with her legs crossed, but the image which had been posted online earlier today, of her bending over at the waist holding her ass cheeks open for the camera.

‘Okay class, settle down, settle down,’ shouted the teacher. ‘Well, Loraine, everybody else has had to do it, so would you please assume the position which your partner has drawn?’

‘I’m not doing that!’ exclaimed Loraine.

‘Loraine, please don’t disrupt the class any more than you already have. Stinton has worked very hard on his sketch. I mean, look at the detail, it’s exquisite.’ She looked again. 'Yes, it's... it's very, very detailed. Good work, Stinton.'

Loraine stood still, holding her drawing in front of her.

‘Loraine, this is your last chance before I report you for disruption and insubordination,’ the teacher said. ‘You are ruining the class for everybody. This is art, for goodness sake, nobody cares about your naked body here!’

Loraine closed her eyes and reluctantly did as she was told. Her face flushed red, unable to believe she was standing with her back to the entire class. Her entire body felt hot as she bent forward at the waist, reached back and spread her cheeks wide open to the sound of laughter, and of chairs scraping as the students jostled for the best position to take photographs.