I created this artwork in 2018 during my very first croquis session, painting a middle-aged woman who visited my school as a model. At the time, I had little experience with drawing or painting, but the session sparked something in me. It opened my eyes to the many possibilities within drawing and inspired me to explore different techniques, methods, and ways of observing the human form.

What fascinated me most was seeing my progress from sketch to sketch. Watching my skills gradually develop felt both rewarding and almost magical.

This particular drawing remains special to me because I was fully immersed in the atmosphere of the session. I focused not only on the model's pose, but also on the tension, balance, and emotion expressed through her body language. I wanted to capture more than a figure; I wanted to capture a feeling.

I titled the piece Stretching Woman because it is exactly what it portrays—nothing more and nothing less. There is a simplicity and honesty in that direct observation which I value deeply.

Over time, I have experimented with different colour treatments within the drawing. Each colour palette shifts the mood and perspective of the work, revealing new qualities in the same image. This ongoing transformation is one of the aspects I love most about the piece.