To be 100% impressed at how my life model application was handled

[Bluetitsarecold]

Why can?t all organisations be this good. I?m in my 40s and I?ve had two children so my body isn?t perfect so when I applied to be a Life Model it was a really big issue for me. I do think that the way my application was handled was perfect. Honestly I don?t see how it could have been done better!
I phoned up this morning and they said I could have an audition this afternoon. So no wondering and worrying about it. When I arrived at the Art Department I was expected and the lady art lecturer was there within two minutes. Quietly and supportively she talked me through the audition process and left me in privacy to get undressed and to then put on a clean and freshly laundered gown. She talked me through and then demonstrated three basic positions. A lying, a sitting and a standing one.
I didn?t feel pressurised into taking the robe of until I was ready. When I did undress I then had a short practice session and then she asked if I was ready to have a go with a male lecturer present. Again no pressure. So I felt confident enough to say yes. I did the three exercises with the two of them there and although it wasn?t easy it was far less embarrassing than having a smear test or having a baby.
To cut a long story short I have been accepted onto the 2 hour training course followed by a proper course with paying customers on Saturday. This whole application thing could have been a major humiliation for somebody like me and I?m so grateful to have received this level of kindness and consideration.

Aw that's brilliant Bluetitsarecold (although does your name suggest they could have turned up the heating...? )

Make sure you email them some positive feedback!

I've always wondered about doing life modelling don't know if i'm brave enough though. How did you find out about it?

That sounds great. I've always wanted to have a go and would want to for money reasons but I'm easily embarrassed. I keep telling myself that when I gave birth, everyone saw far, far worse sights etc; but I just can't properly get myself to do it. Your experience is very encouraging for me but I doubt I'd be so brave.

I saw Life Model job advertised a few times on community noticeboards which made me think that they didn't attract many applicants. In a strange way that almost encouraged me to apply. One thing the staff did really well was to move things forwards in small steps so each step seemed possible to me. I did the famous pose, the one where the lady is sat down with her bent knees hiding her breasts and her crossed feet hiding everything else. Then I managed to sit there with my feet side by side and then a few cms apart and so on. But each time only when I felt ready. The male lecturer was matter-of-fact but encouraging at the same time and I never felt overwhelmed.

I have emailed my praise and confirmed I will be on the course. I feel on a real high at the moment

Wow...
I read a Brief History of Nakedness by Phillip Carr Gomm last year and have thought about doing this on and off since. You may have made my mind up for me next time I see an advertisement

My ex BIL does this for free

I didn't realise they paid people?

I drew/painted life models during my art GCSE. As we were teen girls you would have thought there may be some hilarity but there never was. In fact, I think it made us girls much more confident about our bodies particularly as on one occasion our model was on her period (we could see the tampon string). I think it made us all very relaxed about our bodies and its functions!. Glad you had a good experience. I was a model for girls doing their A-Levels (I was clothed) and It's not easy!. Good luck x

I used to do life drawing, as an evening class in my local arts centre. Week in week out, the model was a middle aged man. I give it up after a while as I got fed of drawing men, its hard to explain but as a female you have that natural empathy and respect for the female form so that's what I wanted to represent in my art. I'm sure the students will very much appreciate the opportunity to draw you.

I wanted to model when I was pregnant with first dc, but my dp said absolutely no, bless he's not the artistic type.

Yay for you OP, I'm glad they were so calm - it could easily be a horrid experience if handled badly.

I did years and years of life drawing at college and Uni and always appreciated a good model.
Best one I had was a lady who'd come through breast cancer and was doing it out of appreciation for her body, she was lovely, very calm.
Doris was a bit scary (she used to pick a student and stare at them through the entire session to keep her focus) and as she got older stopped taking her clothes off, eventually retiring at 80, she was an institution at that art college!
Then there was the young woman with 'GOD' tattooed on her bottom and pink hair - she was fab but didn't stay long.
The men mostly only did a term each, the stout rugby player, the tall skinny cyclist with no leg hair, and the best by far was a homeless man who preferred to earn by life modelling than street begging - he was great to draw, excellent proportions.

I remember them all so clearly even now, 15/20 years on, I must've spent hours and hours drawing each of them.

Good luck, I hope you enjoy your first session!

Worra I got £10ph, which was a fortune to me when I was a student.

A woman in my dance class is in her forties with two teens and she is ... gorgeous. Far better looking than most of us five to ten years younger. She also works part-time as a life model for drawing classes amongst quite a few other modelling/fashion related things. I don't know why you would be impressed (implying surprise?) that they tried to make you feel as comfortable as possible about it. It's quite difficult to find people willing to do it.

Yes I was impressed Mimishimi. Lots of shops and business want my money but far too often they still treat me casually or even rudely. This time nothing was too much trouble and it has done wonders for me and for my self confidence.

But yes I expect it is hard to find people willing to do it.

But yes I expect it is hard to find people willing to do it.

What they want is older bodies, younger students are easier to find, and variety ages ,shapes and sizes.

I love life drawing, did art at school, followed by foundation course then uni,

use to sit for individual artists , really glad I did, it's lovely seen a well drawn or painted picture of yourself.

I would be too worried that someone I know would be there. Strangers wouldn't bother me so much but imagine your FIL walking in

Having a good work ethic as for anything is important. It's shocking that people do just 'plonk' themselves down and/or look bored and many folk will put up with that because of the idea that no one wants to do it.

Developing your ability and skills to do a really amazing job will move you ahead, mean more work and more opportunities. As well as just be happier - who doesn't want to love their work?

I think it is a wonderful thing to do and is incredibly rewarding, I hope you enjoy the training course and the work

They made you audition? Bloody hell! I've done loads of life modelling and never had to do that, I'd feel rather odd if I was being 'tested out' in that way.

Also have never done the knees up ankles crossed thing, bet it's agony after about 5 mins! Most art teachers have never modelled so haven't got a clue what's comfy.

Good on you for doing something that you thought would be tough! You must feel great that you did it!

Also, artists have told me loads of times that they much prefer non-'perfect' physiques, yay for the chubby bits! Very empowering!

Perhaps audition isn't quite the right word then? They wanted to see if I cope with "taking my kit off" in public without running away screaming "he looked at my lady garden!!" Perhaps it was best to find this out before signing me up to a training course or my first public appearance
The nude knees up feet crossed pose is/was my finest hour for yonks. Going from feet crossed to having my feet 6 inches apart was a giant challenge to me. Stop laughing at the back!

I did the training course yesterday and I'm alive to tell the story. There was only one other person on the course, the daughter of my next door neighbour but three. I first thought having her there would make it worse but it made the whole thing much easier. The girl, early 20's, was shyer than me bless her but we encouraged each other when we had a wobble. But truly the wobbles were fairly few. I've practiced all the poses I will be doing for the Saturday course and I've been told all the basics of what do and not do so all I've got to do now is remember it all! One thing was a surprise and that is how soon you almost forget that you haven't any clothes on. You are thinking about so many new skills that being shy doesn't come to the surface of the old brain cells. Another funny thing was how finding a comfortable position is more important than a bit of extra modesty. I'm thinking of one reclining pose I'm using on Saturday and I would never have dreamt that I would have posed as I did if you had asked me a week ago. I find the sitting poses hardest and closest to the limit of what I'm comfortable doing and I'm going to have to work on that. Bring on Saturday!!

A very brief update in the hope that somebody might be interested. I'm doing my life model work three half days a week now so although it doesn't count as a career 'tis a lot better than sitting around at home! There have been a few weird artists but all the rest have been wonderful. I don't mean creepy weird, I mean the pictures don't look even a bit like me!

Glad it's going well for you

I regret to report that I slipped into a time warp for 10 months only escaping today. I'm still doing life model work but now for 4 full days a week spread over 7 days and I am still really enjoying it. I've lost nearly 2 stone and I'm now slap in the middle of the correct weight band for my height. I had my first creepy weird artist on the course who only wanted to paint one small part of my body. But I coped OK.

Nice to see that MN is still thriving!