On Posing Nude

Hi everyone!

Fair warning before you keep reading; the following post gets a little ranty.

When I tell people I'm an art model, I tend to get a lot of questions about what my job entails.  Sometimes, I get asked about how long I've been modeling for, how much my job pays, or how I got started with modeling in the first place. But the number one question that always seems to pop up when I mention I’m an art model is this:

"Do you pose nude?"

After I confirm that I do often pose nude, this is usually followed by a series of other questions:

“What’s it like to pose naked?”
“Is it weird?”
“Do you ever feel uncomfortable?”
“Do you ever feel objectified or unsafe?”

I know I've touched on this in previous posts, but I figured it was high time I tackled this topic in depth.

If I can be one hundred percent honest here, the question of "Do you pose nude?" tends to get a little old.  I get it though.  There aren't too many professions where being naked for extend periods of time is a large part of the job.  I don't mind it when people ask me about what it's like.  Really, I don’t. I know I had the same questions running through my mind before I became an art model, and I’m happy to offer my input.  It's just that I would rather have people ask me questions like:

"How do you stay still for twenty minutes at a time?”
“Do you do anything special to maintain your physical strength for modeling?  
“Do you have any funny or interesting stories from a modeling session?"

I personally feel like those kind of questions are more fun and interesting to answer rather than "Do you pose nude?"   But, as promised, I am going to talk about what that’s like.

Remember in my last post I mentioned how art modeling has helped me feel more confident about myself, and how that applies to the performing world?  Well, the inverse is true as well.  Granted, I’ve never done a show where I’ve had to be onstage naked.  But I have done plenty of live performances for large crowds where I’ve worn skin tight, revealing clothing.  I think this helped me get into the right mindset and developed the confidence I needed before I started booking modeling sessions.

I’ve also said this before, but I’ll say it again.  Most of the time when I model, I don't even think about the fact that I’m posing nude for a bunch of people.  Sometimes, I even forget that I’m not wearing anything because I’m more focused on holding the pose I’m in.  The only times I really think about being disrobed is right when I take off my robe (see what I did there?) and right when I put it on.  After that, it’s all about the work.  Posing nude is just a part of my job, like how politicians speak in front of crowds or how scientists mix chemicals.  I just do it and don’t think about it too much.

This brings me to another point I’d like to make.  I have never felt objectified or unsafe in any of my modeling sessions.  Quite the opposite, actually.  All the instructors I’ve worked with have not only been professional, but also very kind and considerate.  Whenever I model, the instructor always makes it clear that my safety and level of comfort are paramount.  Sometimes, the instructors will offer to give me padding (mats and blankets) to make my poses less physically taxing, or offer to turn on a fan or heater if the room’s temperature isn’t quite right.  The instructors I’ve worked with also always give a heads up if they need to tape out my pose before getting close to me.

I think I should also say that instructors don’t touch their models.  If an adjustment needs to be made, they’ll tell the model something like “Bring your arm in more” or “Move you right foot back a little.”  The model makes changes from their, adjusting their pose depending on what the class needs.  Speaking of which, all the students I’ve worked with have been great, too.  No one that has painted, drawn, or sculpted me has made me feel uncomfortable or unsafe.  The students are just as professional as the teachers, and both parties are equally nice and supportive.  Most of them have been more than willing to show me their work to me, which I always love seeing.  No one has ever made a crass comment to me, and I always feel a personal sense of ease when I'm working.

Finally, I want to bring up one last point.  I know that when it comes to nudity, our minds tend to jump towards the sexual realm.  And you know what?  That’s perfectly okay and normal.  We’re all humans, we all have eyes and a brain, and we’re all capable of feeling arousal when we see a naked body.  But along with the many life lessons I’ve learned from art modeling, I’ve also learned that nudity doesn’t always equate to being sexual.

There are plenty of famous works of art that feature a complete nude subject (Michelangelo's David or Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, for example.)  In those works, the naked body isn't depicted as something erotic or vulgar.  It's shown as something to be celebrated and revered.  And that's just it.  The main purpose of an art model is to help artists understand the physical makeup of the human body.  When an artist sees an unclothed body, it makes it easier to understand the human anatomy and capture it in their work.  I feel more than happy to help contribute to this process.

So there you have it.  I hope this helped clear up any questions you might have had about this subject.  As always, if you have any other questions you'd like to ask me, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below!

See you soon!