Why everyone should draw nude

Artist: Russell Austin (click pic to see more from him)

I've been modelling casually for art groups now for.. (counting on my fingers)....8.5 years. I occasionally draw. I can now confidently say that I have advanced from stick figures to bubble people!

I got into it when I was 22 while I was studying my Masters degree. A friend recommended it. (Thanks JB!) Then I was taken under the wing by artist Wendy Bills.

And it changed my world.

Even after I was no longer a poor uni student and had a 'real career,' I continued to do it. Even when I left the country (at the beginning of 2019) endeavouring to backpack the world, I've continued. It's added a whole new element to both travel and the modelling experience.

I modelled "around the country" (Sydney, NSW Central Coast and Darwin). And now I've modelled in Ha Noi (Vietnam), Bangkok (Thailand), Madrid (Spain), Budapest (Hungary), Prague (Czech). Next week I'll be in Brussels (Belgium)!

Here's why I love it and why I think EVERYONE should either model or at least draw once in their lives.

● Body Acceptance

There's nothing quite like standing naked surrounded by a room full of strangers to speed up the process of body acceptance for a girl in her early 20s!! 😅

During the breaks and at the end of the class you get to check out the artists' work.

What you notice is that everyone is focusing on different aspects of you. And those who are focusing on similar areas see it differently. So then you question your own perceptions - What do I focus on in the mirror? Would other people see it the same way? 🤔

The artists are drawing shapes and shades. My body is shapes and shades.

I realised:

Everyone has a body. And every body is different and creates different shapes.

Artist: Geoffrey Goodes (click pic)

● Body appreciation

Not only do you learn to accept your body you learn to appreciate what you have.

This is really helped by the nature of most artists: passionate, excited and empathetic. They are very open to sharing with you what they like about drawing you. And understanding that it must be difficult to be so vulnerable they don't often share their dislikes.

Outside of aesthetics, by having to hold a pose for 30 seconds to 40 minutes you improve the relationship with your body by learning what it can do. And you're stoked when you notice the poses getting easier. 💪

You appreciate that the body is much, much more than sex.

It can be used for art. It can be athletic. It literally transports our consciousness from place to place so we can see the world around us. Female ones can even grow a whole new body inside!! 😱

● Body promotion

In a world of filters and selective angles, I love showing my live, imperfect body. 🤳

The weirdest but most rewarding job was for a high school's year 11 & 12 art class.

But not just any high school. I was surrounded by a bunch of teenagers, all in my school uniform!!

Despite this, it felt good that I was apart of providing these kids access to a real body without photoshop.

● Physical and mental challenges

Physical 🤸

Learning what your body can do, you get to challenge it and you get an insight into what to focus on in your exercise routine, e.g. balance, hip flexibility, upper body strength

Mental - mind over matter 🧠

Have you heard of the tribes that walk on hot coals without pain? Sometimes during art poses you can start to get uncomfortable. Ok, I won't lie. Sometimes I've been in a fair bit of pain.

My other 'real' career is exercise physiology and a lot of my work was within pain management. So I got a chance to practise what I preached! (It works, magically! Sometimes. Now I can direct my neural pathways from danger to safety and a few times the pain actually didn't return, even when I tried to focus on it!)

Mental - creative 3D thinking 🤓

There's not often mirrors, and if there are they're not surrounding you. This means you get a chance to flex your spacial skills as you need to consider the shape you're making for the artists, sometimes there are 360 degrees of view of you, sometimes they're lower than you, sometimes higher. Where do I put my body parts to maintain my last bit of modesty while still making an interesting shape for the artists behind me?

So you need to think of yourself as the 3D object you are. Then you can add an extra dimension by adding more 3D objects. If I haven't prior to starting, I'll scope the room for assistance. Only with my eyes. Because you're posing remember. The body remains still.

I've used umbrellas, walking sticks, poles, ropes, stools, chairs, large boxes and hoops.

● Meditation

As I mentioned, when I first started I was studying, I was also working. So you might be able to assume that I didn't prioritise downtime. 😵

Modelling gave me a chance to wind down. It was a time I was allowed to literally sit and do nothing (during the longer poses) Sometimes I used it to process thought or work through rumination, but mostly I used it as a time practice meditation.

Although my meditation isn't perfect but I'm pretty sure it's working. I say this because the ONLY awkward experience I had modelling was recently in Spain where the artist hated all my poses and wanted more emotion!! She said to me: "You sort of going into a nothingness!" (Yes! That's exactly what I do!)

This was at the Kincumber Sketch Group ... just after I shaved my head

● Life skills

You get opportunities to enhance your life skills where a lot of other people are lacking.

You take on board constructive criticism (maybe this is true for learning any new skill?), you learn what some of your boundaries are and how to communicate them. You collaborate with the artists. 🤝 Sometimes they love my ideas sometimes they hate them. 😂

And you get chances for self-reflection. For example, my Spanish experience - I'm not an actor or a dancer. I'm Australian without a European background, raised in a logical, science focused family ...I think I have pretty good facial expressions and I rely on emojis and gifs, but I don't now how to express emotion through my body! I make shapes!! - So I guess this is an area I could improve in! 💃 And then it lead me to question myself deeper, should I be expressing more emotion in other areas of my life? (I'm undecided)

● Meet new people

You meet new people and make new friends. There's such a large variety of people in these groups, often these new relationships aren't restricted by age.

Opening up your social circle of course then exposes you to new opinions and new perspectives - potentially opening your mind. 🤯

● Amidst creation

I like to consider myself as creative but I definitely can't say I'm an artist! You're surrounded by real artists, whether they're pro or just learning, and it's inspiring. 🤩

Artemisia from Glebe Life Drawing turned me into a mermaid!

I love being in the midst of it and watching it grow from a piece of paper to a work of art!

I love being introduced to new music and being in the atmosphere it helps create. Across the world, it's one thing I look forward to with curiosity.

I love seeing the different setups of the same worldwide culture. Sometimes I'm in a gallery, an artist's house, a classroom or maybe a private room of a pub. Sometimes I'm on a stage, or maybe a desk, others I'm on the floor admiring interesting patterns of a carpet.

Modelling for the incredible artist Freda's demonstration at Oatley 101 Society

Private space above a Pub in Bangkok

❤ Art, creation, passion, expression diversity ❤

"I" have been sketched, scrapped, sculptured, painted and photographed.

● Work life balance

It’s a space away from work, a great hobby – which some people forget to have!

In summary,

It makes you a better person.

The international experience 🗺️

It's so easy, as a backpacker, to just stay in hostels, see touristy things and meet other backpackers.

Modelling as I'm travelling takes me on different roads - I get to see areas of the cities I wouldn't have otherwise gone to and I get to meet locals (and expats). And going to draw would be the same.

And of course, as with the Madrid experience, I'm always learning and building resilience.

I hope this has touched some hearts and minds 🙏 Let me know if you give modelling or drawing a go 😁