Background

Welcome! My name is Joanna and I run ATYN here in Glasgow. I’ve been hosting life drawing sessions every single week since we began in 2008, at The Flying Duck. When we first started, that’s when I started to meet you guys - the models. So many of you are now real, close friends. It’s been an absolute honour and such a fun ride to meet you all.

How it all started

Back in the day, sketchers used to approach me after a life drawing session and say, “Hey Jo, I think I could model - can I have a go?”. I always said yes and boy did we have a lot of fun. However I learned a lot in those first few years. We got used to the shaky poses, the poses that morphed from standing to bending over and more no-shows than I care to remind myself of. I miss the days when we had to ask one of the sketchers to step up since the model had not arrived on time! But I quickly realised that we should formalise the host-model relationship, since the good models are what really make our sessions so successful. 

Could I pose for ATYN?

Anyone can indeed pose for artists, nude, for a life drawing class. What I mean by this is, every person, no matter their shape, age, size or colour can take part.  The requirements are not about how you look, believe it or not. After working with 2, 3 or sometimes 4 of you on a Monday night for so long, I’ve learned that the best sessions happen when everyone knows what to expect and when everyone is well prepared. The sketchers want to know that their model is ready, not feeling anxious, not hungry or needing to dash to the loo and that their model has been well briefed. The models want to know that they will be comfortable, they want to know what they are being paid and above all else they want to know that they are in a safe, friendly and respectful environment.

What is different about  modelling with ATYN?

We strive to provide our sketchers with a life drawing experience that is better than any other they have had. We have succeeded in achieving this for a long time! We regularly host 60 people at Sloans in Glasgow and up to 80 at Cabaret Voltaire in Edinburgh. We welcome everyone with open arms. This club isn’t just for artists - it’s for everyone. The perfect date night. 

There is no drawing tutor at our sessions, but you are guided through the pose timings by your host. There is always someone around to lend a hand if you’re brand new and feeling stuck. We like to keep things consistent, and presenting our sketchers with a new model (or models) every week is really important. Now that we are working online too, not only must the models be professional and experienced, but they must also be able to film and light themselves.

Workshop & Onward Modelling Opps

We have been hosting workshops since 2010 in Glasgow. These workshops allow us to meet our models, face to face (or screen to screen now) and to discuss all of the expectations for new life models. Think of ATYN as your life modelling agent! We work closely with all our models, especially those who are new to the role. We are regularly contacted about life modelling work for film and TV. For this we are acting agents for those models who wish to be a part of that. When you register as a model with ATYN you are asked about what opportunities you would like to explore as a model. 

ATYN will never share your details or your content with anyone unless that has been previously agreed. If you are an experienced life model looking for work, register via the model page on our website, then please drop me an email directly and we'll get you booked in to work. 

If you have no experience but would like to pose for artists then you've come to the right place and I hope to meet you at the next workshop!

Life Modelling Workshop

(All experience levels welcome)

Hey there! So you wanna get in to life modelling? You've come to the right place. Most tutors prefer that their models have some experience, which is why here at All The Young Nudes we run model training workshops a couple of times a year, just for you guys. Learning from your peers and experienced models is such a treat. After the workshop you will have a clear idea of what is involved and if you would like to start posing for artists. It's also the perfect way for us to meet you, and for you to meet some of our sketchers.

In short

In this session, we will spend a few hours chatting, stretching & moving around then going over the basics of posing - and of course answering all of your questions. We'll then move on to some posing nude and some sketching. You'll be joined by your host, Joanna Susskind and one of our experienced life models.

Who We Are

We run friendly, fun and affordable weekly life drawing sessions online each week. We are life drawing for everyone, not just artists. Since we started 12 years ago, we have been blown away by how many of you are keen to model with us. Thank you so much for all the interest. Because of you guys, we can provide our weekly sketchers with a really varied and interesting scene each week.

The best thing about this is that everyone can do it! And we can show you how…

What will we actually be doing?

In this session we will focus on how to make shapes and how to hold interesting or dynamic positions with your body. We use music, images and props for inspiration.

Our ATYN staff will work with you to suggest techniques and pointers that we think will help you get the most out of posing for sketchers. We will also encourage feedback between models in the group, which is extremely useful.

We will practice posing as a group and everyone will learn about their own body, their own shape, and their own capabilities. Everybody will do a mixture of both posing and drawing. It is hugely advantageous to view models from behind the easel, so that you can get a fuller understanding of what you are trying to create for the artists that will be drawing you. Don’t worry if you’ve never drawn before - this is purely a learning aid for the session. Trust us - you can all draw! And it’s a lot of fun to see others’ interpretation of your poses.

You will spend some of the session clothed, some in a robe, and some posing nude - as little or as much as you are comfortable with. In the 2nd half of the evening, you will be invited to pose nude and sketch your workshop-mates. This part is entirely optional and you can decide nearer the time if you would like to join in, or share your screen.

We will also be going in to detail on how to self shoot for posing online.

Who is in charge?

The sessions will be led by ATYN’s founder Joanna Süsskind.

Joanna spent 4 years at The Glasgow School of Art, first studying animation and then working in the Digital Design Studio. She has been drawing since she was very small. She has been booking and working with life models across the globe for 10 years which means she can help and advise, if you’re interested in taking up work as a life model beyond the workshop. Joanna and your group will be accompanied by one of our experienced models. ATYN staff will be on hand for the whole session to demonstrate, help and talk to you about any queries you might have.

What do we need?

Wear comfortable clothing that you can move around in. Have a robe or dressing gown handy and some slippers. You will also need some basic drawing materials. Printer paper and a pencil will do just fine!

What do we take away?

Smiling, happy, confident faces! It is always fantastic to hear the positive feedback from new models after realising what they can do and how they can feel using this unique skill. Realising the difference between being or feeling naked and being or feeling nude, is extremely powerful. Most of our previous workshop participants have continued to model with ATYN and other life drawing groups beyond the workshop, although this is of course not a necessity. ATYN will provide all participants with a de-briefing email and a private folder with images from the evening. We will also recommend places and people to contact about life modelling work online. We would be more than happy to provide references for models on request.

We look forward to meeting you all online. Please don’t hesitate to be in touch if you have any more questions about any aspect of the workshop.

Big love.

ATYN xx