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| "Artist and Model," by Angelo Morbelli (1909) |
There’s been plenty written for people interested in going
into the field of art modeling, but much less written for artists interested in
working with nude models. Working from a nude model is a traditional pillar of
western art, but it can be an awkward situation for the inexperienced artist. And
it can be a difficult experience for a model too. I have to say, I’ve heard
some horror story experiences from models, and I’m hoping this article will
serve to make the experience a more pleasant and fruitful one for everyone
concerned.
If you’ve never worked with a nude model in any capacity before,
it’s very worthwhile to spend some time at an established class or art school that
utilizes nude models, if you can. Besides getting comfortable with the
situation (and it’s perfectly normal to feel a bit awkward at first), you’ll be
able to see how people with experience organize and run such a situation, and
you may even be able ask for advice and get model referrals. If you are
starting somewhere where you have no access to such a class, I hope this
article will be of great help.
Professionalism
The media may portray the world of artists and models as something exotic
and titillating, but the reality is that art modeling is a profession, like any
other, and models should be treated in a mature, professional manner, and also be
expected to behave in a professional manner. An art model’s skin is their
working uniform, and it’s important to remember it as such.
Unlike just about all other professions, though, an art model’s job is one in which they are
inherently apt to feel more vulnerable, both emotionally and physically, and
an artist/employer should keep that in mind. So be professional:
2. 1. Do not be overly familiar
2. 2. Do not make any physical contact
3. 3. Be respectful
4. 4. Be reasonable
5. 5. Pay properly, and respect the model’s legal rights
6. 6. Be aware of the time
7. 7. Don’t be a pushover
A simple rule of thumb
is that the more comfortable the model is, the better a job they will do, and
the better your art will turn out.
1.
Do Not
be Overly Familiar
Maintain a professional demeanor. Treat the model as you would want your
boss to treat you in an ideal work environment. You know that nightmare that
people have of finding themselves at work naked? Imagine if it were happening
to you, you’d want your boss to carry on as usual, maybe pretend not to notice,
and not to make you feel any more vulnerable than you already do. Be that boss—professional
and friendly.
If you happen to be an extrovert who oozes charisma and
magnetism in your everyday life, it would be wise to tone it down in the
studio, to avoid any risk of being misinterpreted.
People who know me may
know I’m the king of inappropriate comments, but when I’m working with models
in a classroom, I turn off that part of my personality. Not only can it make
the model uncomfortable, but it can make me seem less professional to everyone
else in the class.
Even if the model is a friend whom you know well, when
they’re holding a pose, they’re working. You probably wouldn’t want your
friends bugging you at work, either.
If you’re working with a model privately, overly informal
behavior can make them feel uncomfortable. And if you’re running a class, you
may also influence the students in the class to behave in an uncomfortable or
overly familiar way towards the model or each other.
2. Do Not Make Any
Physical Contact
This ought to be pretty obvious. If you work in a factory, you do not want
the guy you’re working for touching you, even if you’re in overalls and a
welder’s mask. It’s annoying and it can be considered harassment. So don’t
touch the model. If you want them to pose in a particular way, use words to let
them know. Gender doesn’t matter in this case—a female artist has no more right
to touch a model of any gender than a male artist does.
If a model is doing a long pose (day or weeks long) the pose
is usually broken into 20-minute segments. During the breaks, it’s not uncommon
to outline the placement of the models feet on the floor with tape so they can
step back into the exact positions—but still, tape around the model, or better
yet, hand them the tape and let them do it themselves. Don’t touch them.
3. Be Respectful
Be the kind of boss you would want to have. Don’t be pushy, critical or
unreasonable. Remember that you have hired the model to pose for you, and most
models want to do a good job for you,
so making their job harder or more stressful will only make it harder for you. If
you want specific poses, clearly explain what you’d like, and most models will
try to oblige to the best of their ability. But if they feel they are unable to
hold certain poses, give them the opportunity to tell you so.
If you have a problem with something about the model, bring
it up with them privately. Do not embarrass the model in front of the other
people. Every model I know seems to have horror stories about working for
artists or teachers who were just horrible people, who bullied or embarrassed them
in front of the entire class, and I’ve seen a few teachers seem to get a kind
of erotic thrill out of ordering the models around and making them unhappy. One
model I know was loudly criticized by a teacher about the color of her
fingernail polish. Another model I know was asked to bend backwards—and hold it
for four hours.
If you treat your models badly, they have no reason to come
back and work with you a second time. But much worse—you can get a bad
reputation, and since most models network with each other, a bad reputation is
one that will haunt you and make it much harder for you to hire other models in
the future. Conversely, if you have a reputation as someone models can trust
and feel comfortable around, they are much more likely to want to work with you,
and refer other models. And if you’re part of an institution, the model may
have recourse to complain to the management about you.
4. Be Reasonable
“Kick your leg up in the air… and hold it
there for 20 minutes!”
If you want a specific pose, by all means give your models directions, but
remember the models are only human. If a model feels comfortable with you, they
may try to go the extra mile, sometimes even when they should know better. Don’t
ask for things the model can’t comfortably do.
Also, be aware of comfort issues like room temperature. Not only is the model in an emotionally
vulnerable state, they are also physically more vulnerable to the conditions
around them. You may be comfortable while the model may be freezing (and
remember that very thin models and older models are much more sensitive to
cold). Be sure there is sufficient heat in cold weather. If it’s really cold,
offer them the option of posing in clothes or semi-draped. Always give the model
the option of breaking the pose early if it’s too much for them or they get a
cramp. I’ve known models who will pose through muscle cramps and fevers, and I
was in a class where a model passed out in the middle of a pose. There’s no
need for that.
The kind of poses a model can hold for one minute may not be
possible to hold for 5-minutes, and a 5-minute pose may not be possible to hold
for 15-minutes. An experienced model knows what they can and cannot do, and if
you give them the opportunity they can tell you so, which will avoid disappointment
for everybody.
If you’re working with an inexperienced model, it will be a
learning experience for both of you. If you have experience, your directions
can be quite useful for the model. If you’re new at it, too, the most important
thing is to keep your eye on the clock so that the poses and the breaks are
accurately timed, and communicated clearly.
Specifically regarding long poses, even if you have the world’s
greatest art model, I can guarantee you will observe some or all of the
following phenomena: Muscle relaxation—as
the model settles into a long pose their muscles will slowly relax. It’s more
obvious with well-defined models, but it happens to everyone. Blinking and eye-movement, fingers or toes moving, or torso turning gently—models
are only human, and holding still for long periods of time is unnatural to the
human body. Some people’s neurology will respond to the unnaturalness with
little motions. these aren’t really within the control of most models, and they
shouldn’t significantly affect your finished artwork, even if they disturb your
concentration a little bit. Breathing—Do
I really have to mention this? Apparently so. Some people complain about the
model’s breathing! As an artist, it’s better to learn to deal with these
eventualities than let them affect your concentration, and if you’re running a
class pass that learning along to the other artists there.
Also be aware that good models may have a lot of other
modeling jobs in the course of a single day, and you shouldn’t be so demanding
that they are too worn out, injured or sick to complete their other obligations
that day. Poses that can cause your models to cramp up or become sore, or
conditions that can leave them with chills or a cough should be avoided.
Imagine if you book a model and they have to cancel in the last minute because
the artist they posed for immediately before you left them so sore or sick they
can’t do anymore. Don’t be that guy.
5. Pay Properly,
Respect the Model’s Legal Rights
Set a price per hour or per session and stick to it. Be sure to make the rate
clear to the model beforehand, and that they agree to it.
Also be aware that the rate for photography modeling is
higher than the rate for drawing and painting. There are different laws
involved in photography modeling and the models have different rights that have
to be respected. This means NO taking “reference photos” for paintings or
sculpture unless you’ve discussed and negotiated it with the model before you start.
Generally, when you do a drawing or painting of a person,
you have rights to that piece of art as your own creation. However, when you
take photographs, the model retains
rights to their own image, unless they legally release those rights to you
by way of a document called a model
release, which you should always use when photographing a model. You should
keep these release forms on file, because you’ll have to produce them if you
want to have your photos sold or published, or shown in galleries.
What rate should you pay a model? It varies considerably,
based on what part of the world you’re in, and what you’re asking the model to
do. The best way to find the going rate is to ask local schools or artists, but
remember there is always some variation, and some studios pay more than others,
like any other job. Also, each model has a rate they’re willing to work for.
Some may ask for more than whatever the “standard” rate is. It’s their
prerogative.
6. Be Aware of the Time
As artists, we always seem to need just one more minute to finish a
drawing. But be aware that more experienced models know exactly how long they
can hold a particular pose, and running overtime can result in aches and cramps
and make later poses more difficult for them.
7. Don’t Be a
Pushover
So far I’ve touched on your responsibilities towards the model, but at the same
time, the model has equal responsibilities to you. You have a right as an
employer to expect the same kind of professionalism that you show the model. Most
of the time, everything will move smoothly, but there are a few common difficulties
that you might encounter.
1. Lateness
Personally, I don’t mind if someone’s a few minutes late. Travel can be
unpredictable, and things happen. But if you are teaching a class scheduled for
a specific time, you also have a responsibility to your attendees to start on
time, and more than a few minutes of lateness can make the paying customers unhappy.
2. Last minute
cancellations
Stuff happens, maybe a model gets sick, and they have to cancel in the last
minute. But this is usually a pretty rare occurrence. If a model has to cancel,
they ought to give you enough advance warning that you have sufficient time to
book a replacement. It’s not reasonable for a model to cancel an hour before a
class, since it doesn’t give you any time to book a replacement.
3. Unprofessionalism
Inappropriate behavior, poor hygiene, disrespect, compromised mental state (ie:
being high or drunk) and even flirting, are much rarer situations, but they
occasionally do arise. These can require a little more delicacy to deal with.
For example, I’ve had a model who behaved inappropriately as a result of
receiving bad news immediately before coming to work, in which case a few
moments to compose herself before we started did the trick.
Poor hygiene is pretty unusual for art models but it
sometimes happens. Usually, they’re already more self-conscious about it than
you are. The very few times it’s happened, I haven’t said anything, and it
hasn’t been repeated.
Compromised mental states may include being drunk or high,
but sometimes it can also be a result of illness or even prescribed medication.
Don’t judge too quickly, but do get to the bottom of it and discern whether it
is a problem you can work around and whether it may be a problem in the future.
Very occasionally, you might even have a model act
disrespectfully. Don’t assume any of the above problems are meant disrespectfully
by themselves, but if a model is clearly demonstrating they are unhappy with
the job, or you or the class, that they are testing you, or they just don’t
want to be there, it can create an uncomfortable work environment.
One summer I had a
lovely young blond model that all the members of my art group really enjoyed
drawing. At first she was excellent, offering us a variety of interesting
poses, and really inspiring the group. But she quickly caught onto how popular
she was with my attendees, and she started testing the boundaries by showing up
later and later each time I hired her, and becoming lazier and lazier in her
poses, to the point I had to give her direction for every single pose, or she’d
just lay on the floor in the same position all day. She really pushed my
boundaries too far. I stopped hiring her.
Flirting. Nudity is a two-edged sword. Just as a person
working nude is in an inherently more vulnerable state, their nudity can also
be more intimidating if they choose to act flirtatiously. It doesn’t matter if
they are flirting with the students, other models or you, and it doesn’t matter
whether the model is male or female. It may be perfectly innocent, but the
recipient may not feel that way, and in any case, it will make all the other
people in a class feel a little awkward. Should it happen with your model, be
aware that they might not be doing it consciously. But intentional or not, make
clear that the behavior they’re showing may compromise the work environment.
In all the above
cases, DON’T LOSE YOUR COOL. Don’t chastise the model in front of the
class, but call them aside, and discretely discuss it with them in whatever way
is appropriate, and strive for a win-win conclusion. Personally, I feel it’s better to smooth over ruffled
feathers and find a solution to make everyone happy, but also, when you lose
your cool, you also lose your authority, because it looks like you’ve lost your
control of the situation. That’s never desirable, especially if you’re running
a class. If the model continues to
behave unacceptably, don’t fight with them, just don’t hire them again.
In conclusion, I hope this has been a useful and practical
guide. In addition to running figure drawing groups for over 20 years, both in
schools and independently, teaching art, and producing art events and
draw-a-thons, I also have a few decades of experience in managing production
departments and projects for major advertising agencies. My experience is, 99%
of the time, when you treat your people with confidence and communication, and
work with them rather than over them, they will give you the best they have to
offer.
© Jeff Sauber
Thanks to Gerry McGann for catching the typos!
