Interview with Anonymously Nude
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Name:
Anonymously Nude
Age:
24
Ever
wonder what it’s like to be a nude model? After taking many figure drawing
classes, I have always wondered what it would be like to get in front of so
many people without any clothes on. I luckily had the chance to ask about the
nude model experience with a Baltimore based model. Anonymously Nude discusses
her thoughts on modeling and how she got started in the art community.
What Kind of Classes do you model for?
I’ve modeled for several different kinds
of classes. I’ve done portrait
modeling and nude figure modeling for an art school in
Baltimore, but I’ve also worked with local art galleries who do events
throughout the month for local artists to come and draw/paint.
What is an average size of a class?
I’ve been in classes of anywhere from
around 30 students to just around 10 local artists.
Do you enjoy it? Why/why not?
I definitely enjoy it. The artists are extremely professional
and make you feel incredibly comfortable.
It’s also an amazing thing to see yourself become art through someone
else’s eyes. The mediums and
styles are all different as well so it’s great to see how your body is
interpreted in different ways.
What made you become a nude Model?
I started out modeling for local
photographers and had friends who needed a figure model so I volunteered. Once I realized how professional the
art scene can be and got more comfortable with it, I was able to network and
find more positions in the area.
Did you volunteer for this position or
is it paid?
I would say 90% of the time it is a paid position. There are times when I know people who
are holding a photoshoot and volunteer because I want to be part of their art
collection. Whenever I’m working
outside of that realm however, it’s paid.
How nude is nude?
Well, it’s definitely a no clothes
situation, but you’re not putting everything out there either. I think sometimes when people think
nude model, they think it’s sexual which couldn’t be farther from the
truth. Your body becomes curves,
lines, and shadows to artists and that’s what they’re focusing on. Not the fact that you’re a naked lady
in front of them.
Describe your very first time as a nude
model?
My first time modeling nude was for
photographers I had met through friends of mine. They had a studio in Baltimore and would hold all day shoots
several times a month and invite models to come work. I had worked with them before so I was included on that
list. When I told the
photographers that it was my first time modeling nude, they were very quick to
let me know that the shoot would go at my own pace and would start off
clothed. It made me feel way more
comfortable doing it for the first time.
The first time I did figure modeling and was drawn/painted was in an art
gallery in Hampden, Baltimore.
It’s kind of like a night where artists can come, draw, socialize, and
it’s very relaxed. The poses you
do are different lengths so you can try out different stuff, starting with
quick one minute poses moving all the way up to a forty minute pose at the
end. It was definitely fun and it
was great to see so many different styles of work in one room.
Did you have model experience before
this?
I started out volunteering as a model for
a guy I dated in college. He was a
photography student so I just did some basic stuff to help him out. I started building a portfolio and
sending it out to other photographers whose work I enjoyed and gradually worked
my way into the art scene.
Do you see yourself modeling nude in the
future?
Most definitely! It’s something I love to do and anytime you can make money
doing something you enjoy, I think it’s worth it.
At what age should one stop nude
modeling?
Never! If you’re comfortable with your body than why not use it to
create art?
Do you have a favorite pose?
It depends on the length. I do yoga a lot so I like to try things
that lengthen my body and creates interesting lines. It’s hard to do for long though. When I’m tasked with longer poses, I prefer sitting or lying
down.
How long do you have to hold a pose?
Does it ever become uncomfortable?
It ranges anywhere from 1 minute to up to
40 minutes. The most common are
twenty minute poses with five minute breaks. It can become uncomfortable, but as you become more
experienced with how your body moves, you, as the model know what poses work
best for which time frames.
In your experience, do students take
nude models seriously?
I’ve never had any experiences where they
didn’t. Most of the art students
I’ve worked with look at the time spent with the model and a usually very
gifted art professor as invaluable.
They’re not going to waste a second they have and most will start
drawing/taking pictures/painting as soon as you set yourself up.
Do you have someone in the world of
modeling that inspires you?
I think the art more than any models
really inspire me. My goal is
constantly to create poses that will result in beautiful art pieces. The time spent modeling is really a
collaboration between the model and artists to create something together.
And finally…
Favorite Artist or artwork/ Why?
I love Edgar Degas. The brushwork is always so interesting
and adds so much to each piece.
His subject matter with women’s bodies is part of what inspires me when
I model. He transforms all of his
models bodies into great works of art but including painstaking details in the
way their bodies are shaped and move.
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| Edgar Degas, Woman with a towel (1898) - Impressionism |
*The drawings above are gifts from unknown students in various figure
drawing classes, featuring Anonymously Nude.
