Students bare it all as nude models
Melissa Shube
Issue date: 11/26/07 Section: Arts & Culture
Some Brown students, looking to make extra money, have entered the world of nude art modeling.
"It sounded kind of absurd, so I decided to try it," said Matt Novick '08, who models at Brown. "Basically you're on a pedestal under spotlights surrounded by people, and you're naked, and it sounds like such a ridiculous thing to do that you might as well try it."
"Plus they pay you," he said.
The Department of Visual Art hires student models to pose for art classes and weekly figure-drawing sessions. Hamilton House and local artists also hire students.
Figure drawing is considered an essential learning tool for students who are serious about accurately portraying the human body. "If you master the real structure of the naked human body then you can draw any person with clothing on and it will look realistic," said Diana Friedman '11, who is taking VISA 0100: "Studio Foundation" this semester.
For adventurous students, the job may seem attractive. It pays between $15 and $20 an hour and models can choose their hours. But before shedding their clothing and running to List Art Center, students should know that modeling involves more then showing up in the nude - the model must come up with poses emphasizing different angles, lines and muscles and hold these poses without moving.
"It's definitely harder than it looks," said Claudia Schwartz '09, who models for private drawing groups of local artists.
Novick said a friend, who also models, taught him how to pose. "I'm an engineer," Novick said. "I have no idea about this stuff. Little things like making sure your arms are away from your body so it's not obscure for people. You might want to have your right shoulder high and your left hip high to try to make interesting angles."
The models start with brief gesture poses and hold them for 30 seconds or one to two minutes. As the artists warm up, the poses must get longer, lasting 15 to 20 minutes or sometimes 40 minutes to an hour. The positions, as a result, have to become less exaggerated and more comfortable so the models can hold them.
"It sounded kind of absurd, so I decided to try it," said Matt Novick '08, who models at Brown. "Basically you're on a pedestal under spotlights surrounded by people, and you're naked, and it sounds like such a ridiculous thing to do that you might as well try it."
"Plus they pay you," he said.
The Department of Visual Art hires student models to pose for art classes and weekly figure-drawing sessions. Hamilton House and local artists also hire students.
Figure drawing is considered an essential learning tool for students who are serious about accurately portraying the human body. "If you master the real structure of the naked human body then you can draw any person with clothing on and it will look realistic," said Diana Friedman '11, who is taking VISA 0100: "Studio Foundation" this semester.
For adventurous students, the job may seem attractive. It pays between $15 and $20 an hour and models can choose their hours. But before shedding their clothing and running to List Art Center, students should know that modeling involves more then showing up in the nude - the model must come up with poses emphasizing different angles, lines and muscles and hold these poses without moving.
"It's definitely harder than it looks," said Claudia Schwartz '09, who models for private drawing groups of local artists.
Novick said a friend, who also models, taught him how to pose. "I'm an engineer," Novick said. "I have no idea about this stuff. Little things like making sure your arms are away from your body so it's not obscure for people. You might want to have your right shoulder high and your left hip high to try to make interesting angles."
The models start with brief gesture poses and hold them for 30 seconds or one to two minutes. As the artists warm up, the poses must get longer, lasting 15 to 20 minutes or sometimes 40 minutes to an hour. The positions, as a result, have to become less exaggerated and more comfortable so the models can hold them.