Lust Struggle in Art Class

[Twistii]

Hi everyone, I have this art class I am taking. A few days ago, we had a practice where images of a female in different poses were shown on the screen and we would do gesture drawing (which is different from contour drawing). She wasn't nude or anything like that, but many many times I felt like I was at war when I looked at her, experiencing and trying to reject bad pleasure. To be fair, maybe I could've just used peripheral vision or just looked at certain areas that would be less stimulating. In a few days, I think we'll be doing something like that again, except it'll be with a model who is clothed in a way that I would perceive to be much more stimulating. Maybe I could try heavily reducing the amount of time my eyes are on the screen, but I dunno. I guess I have two questions for you guys.

1) What should I do?
2) Is it a good idea to (for the next years) drop or switch the class? I don't know what stuff we'll cover in the next two years of the course (I have about maybe 6 weeks left of school).

 

[Riveraname]

Have you tried doing 30 second gesture drawings? Those usually go by so fast that it forces you to focus on capturing the gesture instead of looking where you shouldn't be. You can start with that and then ease into longer poses.

I also do gesture drawings (both male and female nudes) and at first it was a bit awkward, but it got better. Although I still can't do longer entirely nude male poses (I'm female). I haven't felt pleasure from the poses though, just a little embarrassed. So it might be different in your case

If you feel like it's really troubling you then you should drop the class. But again, just try to remember why you're gesture drawing, you're here to study the structure of the human figure.

 

[Riveraname]

Are you taking the class to further pursue an art career, or just doing it for fun?

 

[Hungry]

Hi everyone, I have this art class I am taking. A few days ago, we had a practice where images of a female in different poses were shown on the screen and we would do gesture drawing (which is different from contour drawing). She wasn't nude or anything like that, but many many times I felt like I was at war when I looked at her, experiencing and trying to reject bad pleasure. To be fair, maybe I could've just used peripheral vision or just looked at certain areas that would be less stimulating. In a few days, I think we'll be doing something like that again, except it'll be with a model who is clothed in a way that I would perceive to be much more stimulating. Maybe I could try heavily reducing the amount of time my eyes are on the screen, but I dunno. I guess I have two questions for you guys.

1) What should I do?
2) Is it a good idea to (for the next years) drop or switch the class? I don't know what stuff we'll cover in the next two years of the course (I have about maybe 6 weeks left of school).

I know this isn’t going to be a popular answer here. I asked God about lust and this is what He told me:
Being sexually stimulated is perfectly normal and how He designed it. However the same chemicals that create addiction for sugar, and drugs also regulate sexual appetite. The more we release these chemicals (serotonin and dopamine) the more our body adjusts to regulate it. Like insulin and sugar relationship, serotonin and serotonin receptors react. Too much sugar causes diabetes because the receptor closes the “valve” to prevent the sugar from damaging the cells. This causes your body to be craving sugar more. Anyways the more you lust sex, the more it controls you. Unhealthy lust is sexually desiring a married woman.

Matthew 5:27-28 KJVS
[27] Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: [28] But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

The word woman is more often translated wife, not maiden or virgin. That’s why it makes sense here where lusting someone’s wife is directly covetous, and thought based adultery.

Israel was a polygamous society. There were laws permitting concubines (sex slaves) and multiple wives. Desire wasn’t sinful. Desiring someone else’s wife was. Anything that has potential to enslave the mind through chemicals should be handled responsibly. This includes mass doses of anything stimulating including sexual thoughts, especially viewing porn. It’s not adultery exactly like some would say. It is however feeding and serving the flesh. We have one Master and should serve Him only.

 

[Twistii]

Are you taking the class to further pursue an art career, or just doing it for fun?

Hmm, maybe somewhere in between to be honest. I like drawing and I feel like I could do something with it in my life, but I don’t think I’m doing it just for fun but I also don’t think I’ll pursue a serious career pertaining to illustration.

 

[Twistii]

Have you tried doing 30 second gesture drawings? Those usually go by so fast that it forces you to focus on capturing the gesture instead of looking where you shouldn't be. You can start with that and then ease into longer poses.

I also do gesture drawings (both male and female nudes) and at first it was a bit awkward, but it got better. Although I still can't do longer entirely nude male poses (I'm female). I haven't felt pleasure from the poses though, just a little embarrassed. So it might be different in your case

If you feel like it's really troubling you then you should drop the class. But again, just try to remember why you're gesture drawing, you're here to study the structure of the human figure.

I mean, even if I dropped the class for after this school year, I still have the class for the rest of this year haha. But yeah, it’s for studying the structure of the human figure, for sure! Maybe I could try doing the assignment on my own and see how it goes, and maybe try focusing more on the gesture of the pose rather than certain parts of the body.

 

[Twistii]

I know this isn’t going to be a popular answer here. I asked God about lust and this is what He told me:
Being sexually stimulated is perfectly normal and how He designed it. However the same chemicals that create addiction for sugar, and drugs also regulate sexual appetite. The more we release these chemicals (serotonin and dopamine) the more our body adjusts to regulate it. Like insulin and sugar relationship, serotonin and serotonin receptors react. Too much sugar causes diabetes because the receptor closes the “valve” to prevent the sugar from damaging the cells. This causes your body to be craving sugar more. Anyways the more you lust sex, the more it controls you. Unhealthy lust is sexually desiring a married woman.

Matthew 5:27-28 KJVS
[27] Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: [28] But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

The word woman is more often translated wife, not maiden or virgin. That’s why it makes sense here where lusting someone’s wife is directly covetous, and thought based adultery.

Israel was a polygamous society. There were laws permitting concubines (sex slaves) and multiple wives. Desire wasn’t sinful. Desiring someone else’s wife was. Anything that has potential to enslave the mind through chemicals should be handled responsibly. This includes mass doses of anything stimulating including sexual thoughts, especially viewing porn. It’s not adultery exactly like some would say. It is however feeding and serving the flesh. We have one Master and should serve Him only.

huh, not sure I’ve heard that stuff about woman, virgin, maiden and wife before, thanks for bringing it up Hungry

 

[Runningman]

Hi everyone, I have this art class I am taking. A few days ago, we had a practice where images of a female in different poses were shown on the screen and we would do gesture drawing (which is different from contour drawing). She wasn't nude or anything like that, but many many times I felt like I was at war when I looked at her, experiencing and trying to reject bad pleasure. To be fair, maybe I could've just used peripheral vision or just looked at certain areas that would be less stimulating. In a few days, I think we'll be doing something like that again, except it'll be with a model who is clothed in a way that I would perceive to be much more stimulating. Maybe I could try heavily reducing the amount of time my eyes are on the screen, but I dunno. I guess I have two questions for you guys.

1) What should I do?
2) Is it a good idea to (for the next years) drop or switch the class? I don't know what stuff we'll cover in the next two years of the course (I have about maybe 6 weeks left of school).

Really the only answer is to look away so that your eyes aren't enticed and the chain reaction of lustful thoughts don't begin.

A fruit of the Holy Spirit is temperance which is a way of saying self-control. The Holy Spirit wants to produce self-control in you.

Seems like since you're being convicted when you're staring at the wrong things that your response should be to listen that conviction.

I know you're in art class so you need your eyes to do your assignments, but that doesn't mean they're right for placing a stumbling block in your path.

If this is a secular public school then I'm not surprised. If this is a private Christian school then that's surprising.

Any possible way you can request a different assignment to draw?

 

[Hungry]

huh, not sure I’ve heard that stuff about woman, virgin, maiden and wife before, thanks for bringing it up Hungry

Happy to. I think carrying guilt and shame for normal biological responses was never God’s intention.

 

[Twistii]

Really the only answer is to look away so that your eyes aren't enticed and the chain reaction of lustful thoughts don't begin.

A fruit of the Holy Spirit is temperance which is a way of saying self-control. The Holy Spirit wants to produce self-control in you.

Seems like since you're being convicted when you're staring at the wrong things that your response should be to listen that conviction.

I know you're in art class so you need your eyes to do your assignments, but that doesn't mean they're right for placing a stumbling block in your path.

If this is a secular public school then I'm not surprised. If this is a private Christian school then that's surprising.

Any possible way you can request a different assignment to draw?

It’s a public school, and I suppose I could maybe try asking him. I think what happens with me is that it’s very mentally straining to try to resist physical pleasure for an extended period of time.

 

[Twistii]

Really the only answer is to look away so that your eyes aren't enticed and the chain reaction of lustful thoughts don't begin.

A fruit of the Holy Spirit is temperance which is a way of saying self-control. The Holy Spirit wants to produce self-control in you.

Seems like since you're being convicted when you're staring at the wrong things that your response should be to listen that conviction.

I know you're in art class so you need your eyes to do your assignments, but that doesn't mean they're right for placing a stumbling block in your path.

If this is a secular public school then I'm not surprised. If this is a private Christian school then that's surprising.

Any possible way you can request a different assignment to draw?

Tbh I don’t think I really struggled with thoughts; I just felt like I was fighting pleasure. A question I have is, if an activity makes it to where it’s a struggle to fight off sexual pleasure (assuming that in this case it ought not to be enjoyed), isn’t it better to not partake in that activity at all?

 

[Runningman]

Tbh I don’t think I really struggled with thoughts; I just felt like I was fighting pleasure. A question I have is, if an activity makes it to where it’s a struggle to fight off sexual pleasure (assuming that in this case it ought not to be enjoyed), isn’t it better to not partake in that activity at all?

Yes. Fleeing from something is a sound Biblical response to something that causes sin.

2 Timothy 2:22
1 Corinthians 6:18

 

[Twistii]

Yes. Fleeing from something is a sound Biblical response to something that causes sin.

2 Timothy 2:22
1 Corinthians 6:18

well, I suppose not coming to class seems like a bad idea haha

 

[Twistii]

Yes. Fleeing from something is a sound Biblical response to something that causes sin.

2 Timothy 2:22
1 Corinthians 6:18

Even temptation though right? If something repeatedly causes you to feel like you‘re wrestling with sin, then it’s better to not do it?

 

[Twistii]

well, I suppose not coming to class seems like a bad idea haha

I don’t think I have to necessarily do it in class though

 

[Twistii]

Really the only answer is to look away so that your eyes aren't enticed and the chain reaction of lustful thoughts don't begin.

A fruit of the Holy Spirit is temperance which is a way of saying self-control. The Holy Spirit wants to produce self-control in you.

Seems like since you're being convicted when you're staring at the wrong things that your response should be to listen that conviction.

I know you're in art class so you need your eyes to do your assignments, but that doesn't mean they're right for placing a stumbling block in your path.

If this is a secular public school then I'm not surprised. If this is a private Christian school then that's surprising.

Any possible way you can request a different assignment to draw?

A point he’s emphasized is to draw while looking, but well, (and no offense to him) for me currently that’s probably like trying to mix oil and water haha

 

[Runningman]

well, I suppose not coming to class seems like a bad idea haha

Right because the bigger picture is you want a degree. So that's why I asked if you can get the art project changed or just look away.

 

[Twistii]

Right because the bigger picture is you want a degree. So that's why I asked if you can get the art project changed or just look away.

I mean, it’s a high school class so no degrees haha. Also I think it’s a minor assignment and not a big project.

 

[Twistii]

Have you tried doing 30 second gesture drawings? Those usually go by so fast that it forces you to focus on capturing the gesture instead of looking where you shouldn't be. You can start with that and then ease into longer poses.

I also do gesture drawings (both male and female nudes) and at first it was a bit awkward, but it got better. Although I still can't do longer entirely nude male poses (I'm female). I haven't felt pleasure from the poses though, just a little embarrassed. So it might be different in your case

If you feel like it's really troubling you then you should drop the class. But again, just try to remember why you're gesture drawing, you're here to study the structure of the human figure.

For the next assignment it contains different times but all of em are at least 1 minute probably

 

[Riveraname]

For the next assignment it contains different times but all of em are at least 1 minute probably

If you genuinely want to improve your human anatomy you can try 10 second - 30 second ones on your own. But from your posts you seem to be struggling a lot during those sessions, I doubt you'll want to do more gesture drawings. Try talking to your teacher to find some alternatives, like doing only male figures instead.

It's only a small high school mark so it doesn't matter much. Just letting you know though, if you want to further pursue illustration figure drawing in classes will be unavoidable.