Life/Figure Drawing

[gaijin178]

Hello all,

I posted something like this in the art section but not many folks go there. I know that there was a thread on strippers which is closed. I didn't read the whole thing so I have no comment on it.

What I wanted to ask is this: Since I work at an art college, Nude life drawing is a major requirement. All students have to take one to two semesters of it. It's intense, with models having to pose for up to 6 hours a session.

Are there any moral implications for students drawing nude models? Do certain religions find this inappropriate? Would you as a spiritual person or non-spiritual person pose for this kind of life study? If you have taken any life drawing courses, what where thoughts or feelings?

Thanks!

 

[Vastavus]

I have no objections to nudity whatsoever.

Good luck with your art.

 

[holo]

I asked a friend of mine who's a painter. She said that pretty soon, you just focus on getting it right. Maybe some people will get aroused or something at first, but when you've been trying to paint someone for six hours, sex isn't the first thing on your mind anymore.

It does make people drink lots of coffee though.

 

[precious stone]

Good question, gaijin. I have actually thought about this too.

Well, I did take a few figure drawing courses in the university many years ago(in Canada). But now, I'm no longer living in that country. Was there to get a degree (5 years) and go home to my country.

Some models were students who studied at the university, and the older ones were just from elsewhere. Being an art student at that time, I had to take this figure drawing course for my major in Fine Arts. In fact, I had good grades for that kind of drawing, human body! portraits and animals.

I think, it's how our attitude towards this matter, but really one can't be truly so pure and perfect not to think otherwise, at least some kind of impure thoughts of it once a while. For me, at that time, being only 18, I had not been exposed to such 'exposure' in my own country, so the first thing I saw was a shock. My fingers went cold and numb, and my eyes...don't know where to look! but well, after the initial shock, I was able to just see and draw and not think otherwise. But I had to get credits for this course, an easy credit for me actually. Again, my mind was pure concerning sex, and it did not really bother me that much though at times abit uncomfortable looking at the the private parts of the models body! Usually, I prefered to draw their back and bum! Too much for me to draw the man's...

I remember a guy from the same country as I , and was also from the same christians fellowship, dropped the course. He couldn't imagine having to draw a nude person to get grades! Ha!

Not to boast or anything, but at that time, I was rather naive and innocent towards the matter of sex. And I just drew what I saw, though felt uncomfotable at times. But I'm glad I never saw sexual acts during my teens and that helped a great deal to look at human body in an uncorrupted way.

But I couldn't imagine myself nude for others to draw at. Being 'innocent' at that time helped me not to think more than a nude figure. I wasn't corrupted by porn and sex, and I'm glad I wasn't, because my mind was not even able to imagine that. Now that I'm married, and if I had to do a figure drawing course again, I wouldn't opt for that. I know too much now as a married person! Ha!

To pose nude for others to draw...is something I will never do. It is my moral value and upbringing not to expose oneself to many pairs of eyes, even for the sake of art.

As for christians to do this(pose nude), I think they themselves will have their conscience and the holy spirit to tell them.(christians) but I would never encourage them to pose nude. People nowadays have gone too much into porn, immoral sex and get corrupted by it. Sadly, young children are being exposed to such porn and nudity that does no good to them and as they grwo up, they see nudity equal sex act. That becomes a problem, and lust invades their young minds. If they are not pure, how can they view such things as pure and good?

 

[Lucubratus]

I wouldn't pose but that's my personal affectation towards my own body...lol. I didn't attend art classes, so I don't know there. When I draw people I take magazine clippings and the like, and I never really had the need to draw anything that wasn't less than scantily clad. Not because I felt weird about it - but because I don't really have to, for one thing - and for another - some parts of the body are just too difficult to draw for me. So everyone I draw has their hair covering their ears. lol

I think there is a difference between nudity in the way you describe versus pornography. Depends on the 'posture'. Just my opinion, but I suppose you are going to get stronger views against it with bible versus to substantiate it. For some reason I can't figure out - a lot of people seem to think a person can't look at a nude body without getting lustful thoughts! Being an artist, there is beauty about the form of the human body and it can be looked at in the same introspection as a person can view the beauty of a black panther or a stately redwood tree, or a rose or whatever....
depends on upringing, too.

 

[Alecto]

I personally wouldnt do it, but Im MUCH more self consious than a model should be.

I pretty much agree with holo, when you make it the focus of intensive work, the arousal factor tends to go down.

Also with more exposure, you get used to it. So someone who has been around nude models for years will be far more used to it and less affected than a new student.

 

[Anti-Fear]

Ok, I think its something that a students must decide in HIS or HER mind. Its not something that has a simple answer such as its ok or not ok.

First of all, if you're a Christian guy who wants to learn to draw you must realize that looking at these nude models (or strippers) may arouse you. You may have lustful thoughts about the model. If you know you're able to resist it and it wont corrupt you then its fine.

I think, however, that most guys will find their minds preoccupied with lust if they have to look at it frequently. This maybe ok with most non-Christian people.

I think, I as a Christian, would prefer not to look at nude models too much. I dont think there is anything wrong with nudity, but I think that my mind will be distracted with lustful thoughts a lot. Maybe I would request that they provide a model in a bikini. Or I would complain to the director of the school.

Its just like porn. I know I will find it arousing and interesting to watch, but I also know it will make me compromise my thoughts and willpower.

 

[gwenmead]

I am just now in my last semester of art school. We had to draw nude models for a couple of our classes. After the initial nervousness about seeing some stranger naked, it wasn't a big deal.

Good art schools or drawing studios will be aware, though, that people do have a thing about nude bodies. Good models are aware of this too. Consequently, in respectful classrooms, there's a very rigid protocol about how the model is treated. When the model is undraped and on the podium, they're an object to draw, and they're working, so you don't bug 'em. When they step off the podium, some kind of clothing (usually a robe) goes on, and they're a person you can interact with again. It's very professional, so that people don't cross personal boundaries.

Interestingly enough, life drawing sessions are the only situation I can think of where actual objectification of a human being is not only done, but is necessary to the process. I think part of the reason why there are rules about it is so that everybody involved can keep the humanity of the model in mind, so it isn't humiliating.

As an artist, I looked at learning to draw the nude as part of my job. And if I wasn't ready to do that part of my job, I wasn't ready to be an artist. Honestly, if you're going to do any kind of work based on the human figure, a good anatomy class and a series of nude drawing sessions are the best way to learn what the human body looks like.

Would I pose? Yeah, probably. Local artists around here are always griping about how the local modeling community is comprised mainly of people who have great bodies and want to show them off. The drawback to that is that it means artists don't get much of a chance to study a variety of body types. Consequently the models with less-than-supermodel type bodies are in greater demand. And I have a funky body shape, so maybe I'd get hired a lot, who knows.

For people who can't get their head around the sexual connections with nudity, well - life drawing probably isn't something to do. Nervousness and level of arousal and stuff like that really depends on the person who's drawing.

Fwiw.

 

[Alecto]

At our local community college, you are not allowed to sit in on the Life Drawing class unless you are enrolled in the class. Also I believe they start with models that are wrapped in a thin sheet that only covers private areas and then slowly work thier way towards a full nude model each class session.

 

[Eudaimonist]

Are there any moral implications for students drawing nude models?

Sure, remember that the model is more than just a body. A model is a complete human being with dreams in life and happiness to pursue. So respect the dignity of the model. Act maturely.

Do certain religions find this inappropriate?

Maybe so, but Eudaimonism considers the nude human body to be a great subject for art. Nude modelling for serious art is morally optional, and perhaps even noble in some sense.

Would you as a spiritual person or non-spiritual person pose for this kind of life study?

Absolutely! I never have, but I'd be open to the possibility. (I consider myself a spiritual metaphysical naturalist.)

 

[MightyHalo]

Hi All... Im VERY NEW to this whole forum... but I do have some thoughts on this topic.


I attended the Savannah College of Art and Design, which is a four year art college. I had to take three years of life drawing, most of which was nudes.

I started the college when I was 18 years old, and the first nude model I had to draw did throw me for a loop for about the first 10 minutes! *blush*

.. but after I put myself into the right frame of mind, I was able to really understand the anatomy of both men and women as well as learn all of the bones and muscles. It was a very good school and It really helped me in my career....... I am now 35, and create animated cartoons for TV and for kids books.

As far as posing, I wouldnt put anyone through that kind of torture, but I do believe if you stay in the right frame of mind, you can learn from it and not abuse it.

*Wow! My first REAL post here... ha ha*

 

[precious stone]

I remember that there's a young lady model who posed for us in our drawing class. I think she's a senior student at the university, and she had a great body, and.... ah-hem, guys would enjoy much of her.

Enough said, I also noticed something embarrassing , and that she was wearing a tampon, which was obvious. It's very embarrassing, if not for her, but for me. I'm not brought up in the american culture, nor anything western, so, you must know that my being brought up in a different culture, is not so liberal or broad-minded concerning nudity, even in art. Asians view the West as too casual on sex, and focus too much on sex and pleasure, porn and entertainments...which is also influencing our young here. This, I call, a negative influence.

Just last night, I happened to turn to a channel (China tv channel) where there's nude painting , by a famous chinese painter. His works were shown and the women he drew were voluptuous and I think, quite sensual. The screen suddenly went blank, and I knew it was our country's censorship board(not China, but an Islamic country) which did not see some of the poses fit to be shown to our people.

Very thoughtful and considerate indeed??

 

[vipertaja]

I asked a friend of mine who's a painter. She said that pretty soon, you just focus on getting it right. Maybe some people will get aroused or something at first, but when you've been trying to paint someone for six hours, sex isn't the first thing on your mind anymore.

It does make people drink lots of coffee though.

I agree with this point. I was in art class and we had nude models.
Granted the first girl was attractive and all but when you get to it
you'll soon get sick of it. After a week you'll be hoping the damn thing
ends sometime...or at the very least to get another model.