She was very nervous. It was the first time she had ever modeled.
All of us at the life drawing class assured her it would be fine ... she was brave and it was fine!
She did a good job. It is not an easy thing to do (I can only imagine ... I have sat for about 5 minutes a couple of times when a model was late or whatever ... but not without clothes!).
As Peter Steinhart wrote in The Undressed Art
(here he was speaking about artist's guilds, which protect the model ...
but at the time of publication there was only the Bay Area Models' Guild):
"It was more than just the money. The idea of a guild was that artists needed models, and models needed artists, but that each had problems connecting with the other. There was no training course for a model; most typically started out by telling the lie that they had modeled for someone else. Without training, modeling is a hit-and-miss kind of thing, whereby a model may or may not know how expressive he or she may be, or how to pose for long periods without suffering muscle strain or fatigue. A model may not know that it is usual to show up at work with a timer and a robe or that usually one is not required to pose for more than twenty minutes without a five minute break between poses, during which the model may stretch, rest, snack or phone a friend. The model may not have a clear idea how to handle an artist who shows more than a professional interest, how to retain one's privacy when that is wanted, how to converse with artists when that is wanted".
This drawing is in the book:
Seated Nude Woman Wearing a Mask by Thomas Eakins
Apparently, Eakins was an enthusiastic supporter of
nude life drawing, even posing nude for photographs
that his students used to draw from.
Eakin's drawing above was of a school teacher he persuaded to model,
and kept her identity a secret!
(That mask certainly is familiar ... except hers covers the whole face!
Glad we don't have to do that.)
She went on to pose for engravings that adorned
the silver dollar, the half dollar, quarters and dimes for the next fifty years.
She became famous but still remained a school teacher.
Check out Anna Williams.
Googling around for artist's guilds,
I found the website
but I don't know if it is current.
It looks good but how do you find out if there are recent updates?
Anyway, if you have the chance, read Peter Steinhart's book,
I think it is a wonderful intelligent and informative read for both artists and models.
The following photos show my original drawing
from that life drawing class
ages ago
and then the progress to my painting in the studio.
(I see, after not looking at this for awhile, her face is way too white!)
Peaceful Sleep (Holly) 12 x 18 inches oil on Masonite
Peaceful Sleep (Holly) is the 7th in my Strong Women series
because it takes a strong person
to pose in the nude for the sake of art!
Have you ever modeled for a life drawing class or artist?
What was it like for you?
Thank you so much for checking into this little blog.
I remain hopeful about the future, in spite of everything ...
so make sure you do the things you love to do
and stay safe and healthy while doing them!
🎨 💓
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