Anyone here work as an artists' model?

[Servalan]

I'm thinking of trying to find work as an artists' model for life drawing classes etc.

I wondered if anyone on here has done this? How did you go about finding work? Do you have any tips/advice/warnings?

Thanks

[canistartagainplease]

Cant really help you with this one,but i seem to remember the actress in Blakes Seven who played your name, works/worked as an artist model.So nice choice of name!

[peeriebear]

I used to do it before I had children :o
I did it for a small local art class and for one further afield, both run by professional women, very respectful and friendly. I don't know if it's the same now (this was ten yrs ago) but female life models were rare as rocking horse poo and I was in demand. It is the hardest job I've done though; sitting completely still for an hour stretch at a time (two hour classes) is very difficult, especially as they keep the room warm for you and you start to nod off.
However I loved the atmosphere, the environment and the experience. :)

[peeriebear]

Forgot to say- I got into it purely because I used to drink in the same pub as the artist's wife and we became friends. (They are my bosses now!) If you ask about, try and get a feel for the person running the classes, what the atmosphere is like, what the students think of the classes. Some of them are run by people who can't write Bum on a wall let alone run a professional class.

[peeriebear]

Artists husband not wife! Sorry, three posts in a row.

[EverSoLagom]

I work regularly as an artists model and have been for nearly five years. I find it to be really rewarding work although it is difficult and tiring.

I first got into it by replying to an ad in a student magazine, and once you "break in" to a local art group you often get more and more work as people get to know you. My tip for making first contact would be to sit for a well-established group first, one which meets regularly in a public space rather than a private studio. I met up with the tutor of the group for ten minutes at the beginning of one of his classes which gave me a chance to see how things worked.

I have never in my time as a life model ever encountered any problems or things that have made me feel uncomfortable, but obviously you need to be a confident kind of person and happy in your own skin. Its amazing seeing the drawing after the session but they aren't always flattering! It does give you some motivation to stay trim, especially as good muscle tone, posture and core strength are essential to being able to stay in pose.

Is there anything specific you're wondering about? Happy to chat here or PM me if you prefer.

[jeee]

Look up your local adult education centre. If they do life drawing classes, contact them - there's nearly always a shortage of models (I draw, but don't model).

A few things you should be aware of:

1. As peeriebear says, it's astonishingly hard work to sit still for so long
   
2. Can you put up with the teacher explaining to a student that they've missed that roll of fat, or that they need to make the stomach curve more. Some lecturers are sensitive to the model, others treat you as a lump of meat.
   

And 3. Bearing points 1. and 2. in mind, the pay tends to be pretty poor (minimum wage).

[Sockspence]

I used to life model when I was a student and agree with EverSo that you need to have real physical stamina.

[Servalan]

Thanks very much for the replies. I am aware that I'm not exactly the body beautiful at the moment, so don't think I'd mind comments about rolls of fat etc :)

I think I'd be able to stay in pose - I suppose the proof in the pudding would be doing it!

Those of you who have modeled before - were you member of any professional organisation? I've seen the Register of Artists' Models on the internet, but being new to the field I wasn't sure if was essential to join with them?

[EverSoLagom]

Oh just to say i'm paid a lot more than minimum wage - at minimum wage there's no way it would be worth my time since even if there's quite a lively art scene you'll never get enough work to make more than pocket money, and its often necessary to travel.

I've never joined a professional organisation but know from friends who moved down to London that it does seem to be more common there.

There's some good info here www.cambridgelifedrawing.co.uk/More_models_information.htm
(I'm in Cambridge myself)

[peeriebear]

I used to get £10 per hour ten years ago. Not a member of any organisation, no.
The staying in pose is made harder in that you can't even move your hand to scratch an itch because more often than not at least one person will spend the whole session drawing just your hands, or just the curves of your arm, etc.
As I now work for the artist and we are in the process of emptying her old studio, my Dh was doing some grunt work for her and found a load of the old drawings of me. Some of them were very unflattering- one looked like I was sat on the toilet straining!

[OrdinarySoup]

Just to add, don't be put off if you don't consider yourself to be a body beautiful (yet!). I've done af air amount of life drawing and can honestly say that the "best" models are the ones with curves - real bodies. Didn't enjoy drawing men or slim women as much at all - maybe because there was nothing to accentuate...?

[WidowWadman]

I occasionally do life modelling - friends are running a gallery and life classes. I started off as a student and asked whether I could give modelling a go, because I was intrigued what it was to be at the other end IYKWIM.

Art colleges usually also look for models. Money isn't huge, tbh and it can be quite painful depending on pose (although I do sometimes just drift off to sleep during long reclining poses)