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Artists as Models: Turnabout In every figure group, there are days when the model does not show up. Everybody is there with their supplies, and there is no subject. Usually, someone volunteers to sit. Though difficult and disappointing in many ways, this can be an opportunity. The woman in "Joan Reading" was the assistant director of the art center where I went to draw for several years. Her personality was as wonderful and colorful as the sweater she was wearing. The center is gone now, a casualty of budget cuts, so I don't know where she is. I am glad to have had the opporunity to do this painting of her. Over the years, I have been able to draw quite a few friends under similar circumstances. I have also had the chance to sit and let others draw me. It is a strange experience. Think about it, it is very rude for people to look at other people carefully, unless the situation is, uh, intimate, (or clinical) and then, the content of the exchange is different. One group I belonged to for a while never hired models at all. We met every two weeks and took turns modeling. Sometimes, we roped spouses or friends into the circle. For cash-poor painters, this is a viable solution. (Of course, we kept our clothes on. None of us was that brave.) Modeling When I was ten I went to a fashion show in a department store and watched girls walk with all eyes upon them, and I wanted all eyes on me. I brushed my dirty blonde hair One hundred fifty strokes a night, but it was course and stubborn. It would not shine. My nose was too big. My eyes were too small, and when people did look, I checked my dress for stains; It was such a disappointment! Now, I sit with all eyes upon me, and I just want to be drawing someone else. Contributor's Note I attended various figure groups several times a week for many years. Some of my graphite, ink, and pastel drawings can be seen at Absolute Arts.

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Drawing of a fellow artist. The model did not show up.

Added by Linda Armstrong on April 14, 4:29 PM.

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Nice sketch. I like your style. I belonged to a figure drawing group that met on Sundays for some months, we just rotated who modeled and those comfortable with it posed nude. I'm too self conscious about my deformities to pose nude but if I was healthy and not grotesque, I would have posed.

One thing to remember about art modeling is that nudity becomes something very different than any other context. Every group of artists and life drawing class or group I've ever met will treat any nude model with extreme respect, neither sexually harassing them nor judging their features, body proportions, build.

Very often nude models pose in ways that aren't flattering but are artistically interesting.

The group I was in was very supportive and encouraging. One thing that helped me a lot was that one artist-model was fond of doing gesture drawings herself, so when it was her turn to pose, she did a fantastic series of quick one and two minute gesture poses. To keep up with her, I had to get her basic lines down fast! Thanks to that evening's exercise I've been able to sketch anything a lot more quickly. Because of her gesture poses, I've finally been able to sketch my cat awake. His idea of modeling is similar. lol

robertsloan2 Jun 29, 2008 07:33

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