How to Become a Life Drawing Model

Everyone is talking about things to do online during the pandemic. You’re scrolling past yet another scribble by a mate of a drawing of a nude person, at yet another online life drawing class, but maybe, just maybe you’re curious about or interested to learn a little bit more about the - the subject of these life drawing classes; the models. Yes! Who are these life drawing models? Where do they come from? And why do they do it? 

Life drawing and life modelling: Who’s nude?

If this is all brand new to you, and you’re wondering how life classes work, let me quickly fill you in. Drawing from life is a really great tool which helps in many practices.

At school we drew “still lives” which are basically a series of props (anything at all) set up in one place for you to stare at and replicate with some pencils and pens. I loved this, as you could come back to the same scene day after day and nothing had moved, yet you would see new shapes and colours.

Life drawing is the study of the nude, human form. Of course, to practice this, you need very skilled and patient human forms, who will pick interesting shapes for you to sketch, and hold them, often for up to 20 or 30 minutes. This is where our life models come in. 

Who can become a life model?

So, the great thing is that anyone and everyone can pose for artists. The artists will sketch whatever they are presented with. They are usually drawing from life to practice their technical drawing skills, to learn about and look at anatomy in detail and often to be inspired for other creative work. For these reasons, you can see how any shape, age, style, type of body is relevant.

What is it like to pose at ATYN?

We have dozens of people applying to life model for our sketchers every week. This has been the case ever since we started up in 2008!

Our sessions are very relaxed and informal. We are usually in a pub, bar, nightclub or other relaxed venue setting (as opposed to an art room). We are also priced very low to ensure we’re as inclusive as we can be.

Ours is not a life drawing class for professionals - it’s a life drawing club for everyone. For this reason, models really enjoy posing at our sessions. They arrive early and hang out, often mingling with the artists before and after the session. There is always a playlist for the session, often a DJ, and so the time passes more quickly and the atmosphere in the room is very chill. Most of our attendees have a pint or a cup of tea to hand.

Despite the relaxed atmosphere (both on and offline) we take our model’s safety and comfort very seriously.

What do ATYN and other life drawing groups look for when hiring models?

Ok, so anyone can pose for artists, this is true. But there are a couple of things I look for when hiring life drawing models, which helps me ensure the artists have a really great and enjoyable session.

The artists have certain expectations when they arrive at a session. They are looking for reliable timings (punctual start, finish and reliable pose timings), they want to be challenged and surprised by their life drawing model; this could be in terms of the poses themselves, the setting the model has chosen to pose in, the angles the model has chosen to shoot from (when posing online) and above all else, they want the model to be able to hold their poses.

As an employer, I am looking for good communication, punctuality and enthusiasm for the role. That enthusiasm is passed on to our audience and makes a huge difference to their drawing experience and their work. Seeing sketchers being inspired by and engaging with our life models online has helped foster a thriving creative community with ATYN online.

Previous experience is always a welcome bonus as well which is why we recommend attending our life modelling workshop for those looking to gain some more practical experience.

But what about life modelling online?

I have been working with life models all over the world for 12 years. At ATYN we have trained and gone on to work with over 500 life models in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and London. I absolutely love meeting the life models and it’s brilliant to be able to work with models who are based further afield.

The beauty of the online format is that we can work with models based anywhere in the world, as long as they are able to shoot content on their smartphones and deliver to us via the all powerful internet-web.

As a producer and animator I am able to work closely with new life models to direct, inform and collaborate with them on any number of creative themes. We are only just scratching the surface of what’s possible online. Modelling online with ATYN is not via Zoom. We work on a platform called Crowdcast and your poses are pre-recorded, edited and composited for use in our online life drawing show. Think of it as a modern day Art Attack or Hartbeat!

At our life modelling workshops we will work alongside you to ensure that you are not only briefed on the posing itself, but how to model and self-shoot so that you can supply your own pose sets for use in ATYN Online. You don’t need to be “arty”, you don’t need to be “techy”, you just need to be free, interested and willing to learn. It’s a lot of fun - I promise.

Fancy trying life modelling, but don’t actually want to pose in class?

This is actually really common. There are so many reasons why people are curious about and interested in life modelling.

People often attend life modelling workshops to help build confidence. Some experienced models attend our training sessions to up their game, and to meet more life models. Your reason for joining is just that - yours. There is no pressure to be onscreen, to engage beyond the workshop, nor to take up work as a life drawing model.

I have posed nude a couple of times for photographs (once outside in a field with an American Bald eagle named Pilgrim on my arm), but never quite plucked up the courage to pose for artists in a class, on or offline.

It’s an exhilarating feeling to expose yourself to a group of people you have never met before, for a technical art practice. So whether you decide to start practicing life modelling after the workshop or not, it helps to remember that the sketchers are looking at you as their drawing subject. Often, they are more shy about sharing their work than you are of exposing your skin.

Safety First

It goes without saying that your safety on and offline is of utmost importance to us. We review every single workshop applicant and ensure that everyone in the room is comfortable at all times. We will also extract anyone who gives us any reason to doubt their intentions. I should let you all know that this has never had to happen to date. Most people with the wrong intentions can get their kicks elsewhere, for a lot less money!

Training Costs & Fees

Our Life Model Workshops are priced at £45 for a 3 hour session. After you’ve completed a workshop with us, you will be registered on our system as an approved life model, ready to pose for ATYN online. You will be equipped with the tools, skills, knowledge and contact information you need to get started.

When it comes to hiring models, we pay per hour of content delivered and issue a model release forms to everyone we work with so that the usage is 100% clear from the outset.

• We are offering free places to experienced life models who wish to attend the workshop to brush up on skills, meet new models and perhaps to share some stories. Please get in touch directly if this is you.

• If you would like to learn how to be a life model and attend the workshop but cannot afford the workshop fee, please let me know directly. We are open to exchanging the training workshop for your first few sets of poses for ATYN Online.

• If you subscribe to ATYN on Patreon, you will get 50% off this workshop! Head over to our Patreon page to find out more.