Life Model Questions

[JL690]

A friend came to visit last night and when we were chatting she accidently-on-purpose let slip that she had done a life model session for a local art club last week. I don't know why, but I went red with embarrassment, and she found that hilarious.

Of course I had lots of questions about how many people were there, male/female mix, did she feel embarrassed and uncomfortable etc. I was surprised when she said that there were 8 women and only one man, and that she felt more uncomfortable with stiffness towards the end of the longer poses than being naked in front of other people. Then I went red again when she said the club was looking for more female models and suggested I should try it. I told her no way, but it's been at the back of my mind this morning to say why not and try it.

Has anyone here done it? What are the things to avoid or make sure are done during a session? My friend said she enjoyed it but is it always as good as she portrayed it?

A friend does it occasionally to top up her aged pension. The jobs don't come up very often.

Like your friend, she says the worst part is holding the pose for an hour or however long the class is. I think the maximum number of people per class is 12 and they usually don't get that many. Mainly female participants. And the teacher always makes sure the room isn't cold.

It's definitely not for me, I'd be beyond embarrassed and uncomfortable but she loves it. She really enjoys see the paintings afterwards, some are hilarious apparently!

DH says sustaining the poses can be difficult after a while. Where he worked they didn't put the heating on which meant he was very cold in the winter.

Yup did it for a few years- holding one position sucks as you get bored- but I found it harder when they did quick sketches- a 2 hour class with a new pose every 15minutes- was a pain trying to remember what you'd done and what to do next!!! There were people of all ages and sizes employed, money was bloody good and pretty much all daytime (art college) and worked around my own classes (was years ago as a student myself) never looked at the pictures- didn't need to see that much detail of me naked....

I'll have to show this to my friend, don't think she's had to deal with revolving poses every 15 mins😄

She once posed on a tall barstool (luckily she's tall herself) with one leg down, toes on floor and the other with knee up & foot on the rung, thighs together. It was supposed to be a 45 min session but she had to stop at 35 mins, her lower back could take it!

Thank you for your replies. My friend said she did some short poses, then some longer poses before a long pose for ah hour. It looks unanimous that the worst part is definitely holding a long pose. She found the different drawing styles interesting, in some she barely recognised herself. I'm still thinking about it, so I should see if I can sit very still for an hour or so without cramping up etc.

A perspective from the other side of the easel - the people drawing you are barely registering you as a person, you could as well be a bowl of fruit or any random collection of objects, so you shouldn’t worry they are having rude thoughts or judging your body shape.

When I’ve done life drawing the long poses were generally in a supported position but there were sometimes breaks for more unsupported poses.

You could always have a word with the teacher about any poses you might struggle with.

@MagpiePi thank you for that from the other side of the easel, that's very interesting and good to know I'd be viewed as a random collection of objects 😆. My friend didn't get a vibe of anyone having "rude thoughts". She didn't mention breaks either. It must be difficult to get back into exactly the same position afterwards, or do the artists give directions until the model is back in the exact position again?

The life drawing sessions I've been to start with 5 1-minute poses, sometimes doing things like drawing with your non-dominant hand, or not taking your pencil off the paper. Then a number of 2 and 5 minute poses, then 10 and 15 minute poses. The model does get breaks, which might be short and just discussing with the tutor which poses will be next. There is heating where I've done it, but sitting still for long periods can be dull and you might get cold through the inactivity.

People aren't really looking at you - You are literally objectified, and a focus for how light falls or how limbs are foreshortened on paper, or how to get shading improved when using charcoal or pastels or other media, or how to get better at drawing hands or feet... At the end, we all look at each other's, and it's amazing the difference in what people choose to focus on, the different styles and skill levels. The model also gets to see what people have done.

I'd do it - first time I went, the tutor joked that if the model didn't turn up, one of us would have to do it, and I was fine with that idea. More fun drawing, though, so I'm glad she did arrive.

You break at the end of a pose, not during it.

No one has asked what the going rate is yet?
This would be my number one priority 😂

Instead of holding a pose for hours, why not take a photo and use that?

Last one I did was a 1hr class and they paid me £30

@Justleaveitblankthen It would depend on many things I'd guess? Such as, does the tutor have to lease the space or not, what do the students pay, who pays for supplies etc.

My friend gets about $200/hour (Australia)

My local club is not in Australia, sadly, so it pays nearer the £30 rate.

I used to go to life drawing classes and agree with the people who said you barely register that the model is even a human, they are just an object with shapes and light/shade/foreshortening etc (and extra lumps and bumps and folds were always much appreciated as interesting things to draw). We used to put our drawings on the floor at the end and walk around and look at everyone's, and half the time you'd see a close up detailed study of an elbow rather than a whole body. Also I seem to remember that there was rarely more than a sketchy suggestion of a face and you could rarely recognise the model from the drawings.

My DH goes to these classes every month - they don't even require you to be fully naked (might be unusual). They wear net tights or have feather fans etc - to make it more interesting. Agree with PP he definitely doesn't see the models as a sexualised person, just as interesting shapes. They do some 2min, some 5min, some 15 and one 30min pose I think!
Also they get paid some of the income from the people attending the class, not sure on amount but more than £30!

I have done it in the past. I enjoyed it, but I'm not the type to go red at mentioning it so not sure if it would suit you. I've fairly used to nudity in lots of other situations and it doesn't faze me. I was always fully nude.

I think it helps to have drawn in a life drawing session before (I've done years of art classes) so you know what it's like on the other side and what poses are interesting. Have a mental range of poses that would challenge an artist and don't put yourself under too much pressure to find one that is hard to sustain - lounging around is just fine. Maybe practice at home holding a pose for 15 mins - it's surprisingly hard (but gives you lots of thinking time if you have some decisions to mull over).

I tried sitting still for as long as possible this morning, it got a little uncomfortable after 5 minutes but then it eased and became more comfortable until 40 ish minutes, I lasted 50 minutes before I had to move. Some wee twitches too but I essentially kept the one position. I think that's not bad for a first attempt tbh.

Thanks everyone for your insights. I told my friend this afternoon that I'm going to give it a go at her club. She's just off the phone to say I can make my debut a week tomorrow and to practice two longish poses and six or so short poses. So, now I need to find interesting poses 😁

Do stuff like hand in your hip. If you have a chair, you can sit on it, normally, but also like Mandy-Rice Davies with your back to the artists. You can put an arm up against the wall. If you've got a blanket, you can lie on the floor and so on. Depends a bit on what's there, if you've anything to hold.

@EBearhug Thanks for your tips. My friend has given me some ideas too, though I don't want to repeat her poses but maybe some variations on them would be fine. I've got a week to practice so I'm sure I'll find some decent poses that are comfortable😁

Unless you're a practised contortionist who can stand with one leg wrapped round your neck for several minutes or something, there's going to be a limit to what you can do and sustain for some minutes. But some repeats are fine. The person who was focussing on elbows last week might be more interested in knees this week, so it will be different for everyone anyway.

It's not the same - you don't get the same detail and realistic light as from life. Also, photos are 2D representations of a 3D thing - you don't get a proper sense of shape etc. I've drawn from photos and from life, and life is soo much more satisfying.

And I would never send anyone a nude photo of me anyway.

Tonight's the night! I'm doing a final practice while the little one is at school. Nerves and excited too. Wish me luck.