Some thoughts on art modelling

Photo: Atwood-Koschinsky

My blog has received over a million hits and this fact passed me by completely! Only just realised, after seeing the figures at the bottom of the page.  I would like to thank all the people that follow me and read my posts, it is quite overwhelming to know that so many  from around the world have had a look at what I write. Earlier this year I thought of abandoning this blog project but now I am not so sure. 
I write for my own enjoyment and whereas at some point I felt rather envious of those bloggers that are sponsored, I then realised, after reading various sponsored blogs, how very tedious it must be to have to write specifically to endorse a product. So here I am, an independent blogger writing about whatever takes my fancy. Thanks again for all the support you have given me, by reading and sometimes, commenting, I really appreciate it.

The other day I was called up to model for an art class, and less than three weeks ago I went to Zurich to model for an art nude project by former New York professional dancer turned photographer Laura Atwood and her partner Michael Koschinsky.  I am mentioning the latter because I had resolved to stop all  photographic art modelling altogether, but then the Atwood - Koschinsky project came along and I liked the concept so I thought, why not ?
Laura and Michael are interested in photographing older women and the body in motion  and avoid airbrushing. They do a lot of dance photography - it is Laura's background, after all.  I got a few clothed portraits too from that shoot which I am showing here. I like their naturalness.
But let me tell you about life modelling - I usually call it art modelling but I realise that it can be confused with photographic art modelling so for the sake of this post I will use the term life modelling.

Photo: Atwood-Koschinsky

I nearly cancelled the gig on the day because of all the hassle I was meant to go through at the college where I had been booked  - life models now have to register and give a copy of their passport and so on and so forth. I must have registered with that institution  half a dozen times but for some reason I always have to re-register. Then of course there was the issue of finding blankets and cushions and  heaters too - I texted the tutor and said I reserved the right of keeping my clothes on if no heater could be found! Sounds somewhat draconian but it is my body and my health. He was very good natured and obliging.
So we started with the first poses, I was given no direction at all, only told the duration of each pose so that I could decide what was suitable - no point in doing something complex and arduous if the pose is over two minutes, that's my attitude.
When I do these modelling gigs, I tend to keep myself to myself during breaks, I wrap up warm and do some stretches or check my phone and think of a few poses I may do later. I also drink plenty of water, being so close to heaters has a dehydrating effect.

Photo: Atwood-Koschinsky

During the first break I was stunned at the number of students that came up to me to ask whether I had been modelling for a long time. Indeed I have, I told them, and they all thought it really showed in the kind of posing I did. I was genuinely surprised, it was not something I had thought much about. But yes, I always know what to do when I model and, most importantly, what not to do, I know my body and my limitations. No one really taught me, I just learnt as I went along.
I have done life modelling for well over thirty years, on and off, of course, sometimes taking very long sabbaticals. I always go back to it.
Until I was sixteen I hardly knew anything about life modelling and knew no one who had done it. Then I met an art model. We were both in hospital, I was there because of a bad fall which had caused me lots of back injuries, she was there because she had overdosed on sleeping pills, a failed suicide attempt following the break up of her engagement. She volunteered the information, with a rather bored expression.
I remember her clearly,  she was waiting to be discharged, perfectly made up and wearing fashionable clothes. She must have been around twenty-four, medium height, with shoulder length raven hair and a very, very beautiful face, a classic, rather important nose, high forehead, a perfect oval.

Reminders to art students, LCC

We began to chat. I asked her what she did for a living and she told me that she modelled full time at the Accademia di Belle Arti. I was intrigued and asked her what she had to do and she explained. I thought it was quite a weird thing and what? No clothes? I was a little shocked. She demonstrated, keeping her clothes on, of course. She stood in the middle of the room and began to strike poses, asking me to time her. I thought she was very odd but amazing. I also thought I would like to try art modelling too. It sounded rather grand to say one modelled full time at the Accademia di Belle Arti.
Fast forward a few years, I was already in London, and must have been around twenty.  There was a noticeboard  at the dance school I went to for contemporary dance classes, and I spotted a notice by an artist who was looking for models. I called up the number and went along. I lied and said I was experienced, I really wanted the job, I said I had done it at the Accademia. The artist was suitably impressed.
I began and it was so hard, keeping still requires so much control and then it can be kind of boring, time seemed to drag endlessly. I tried to remember what the model I had met a few years earlier had done and attempted to copy whatever I could recall of her poses. It worked, no one spotted I had never done it before and if they did, they never said a word.
It was a cash only job, I liked that, it came in handy. So I began to do it more often and after a while  I was hooked.

Reminders to art students, LCC

And here I am, still doing it. The money is rubbish but it is the only job where you are allowed to be still and daydream and forget about everyone else in the room. I belong to the old school and prefer it when the art tutor refers to me as 'the model' rather than making an effort to remember my name. The nudity is no problem for me, so long as there is enough heating I am fine. To me the pose is my garment, and that's what I do, I wear a pose. In everyday life I cover up and do not advocate naturism, it simply does not interest me.
While posing I sometimes listen very carefully to what the art tutor says and have picked up so much knowledge about drawing and painting simply by modelling. Although it looks like I am not moving at all, in reality I am constantly moving, imperceptibly, but nevertheless I am moving. I sometimes put into practice the many instructions I have heard in dance class, like spreading out the toes, breathing with the back, elongating the spine, stacking the vertebrae one by one and so on.
I know at some point I will stop, but for as long as people ask me to do it I will probably continue, even though from time to time I might take longish breaks. But that's the beauty of it, to be able to do it if and when I want!