My third modelling job of 2026 was with Living Art Life Drawing at The Winchester pub in Highgate, north London. I was particularly excited about this booking, not only because it was a new group for me but because of the couple who run it.
Alex and Françoise together are renowned for organising great art events. Each is a sublimely talented creator of visual art in their own right, with Françoise also being an extraordinary accomplished performance artist and life model.
In other words these people know what they’re doing and the right way to go about it. That’s not to say there is anything revolutionary about how they facilitate life drawing, but extra levels of consideration shown both beforehand and on the day were telling.
The session itself comprised pose times from 3 to 20 minutes – perfect for the kind of angular dynamism that’s become my trademark. A great playlist of dark, edgy, moody sounds suited me nicely too. This was not a session for delicate Classic FM fans.
The next day I sent thanks for a very enjoyable and inspiring evening. I say ‘inspiring’ because some sessions, by the nature of their set-up and the energy from the artists, give added inspiration to put as much as possible into the poses. This was one.
It doesn’t happen by accident. The right environment has to be created. Maybe this is an ability innate to some people, but effort is still required to put ideas into practice, to build and sustain and care to do things appropriately. Full respect.
Pose minutes, 7pm-9pm
Part 1 : 3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 7, 10, 10, 10.
— break —
Part 2 : 20, 15, 10.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Alex.
Artwork by Françoise.
Artwork by Alex.
Artwork by Alex.
Artwork by Françoise.
Artwork by Mark Woods.
Artwork by Alex.
Artwork by Mark Woods.
Artwork by Alex.
Artwork by Mark Woods.
It was the first Monday evening life drawing class of the first term of the new calendar year at The Conservatoire in Blackheath, and it was my privilege to be their model. It was also -5°C outside and not exactly hothouse conditions indoors so with privilege came predicament.
In addition to the cold I also had to contend with ongoing pains in the right side of my ribcage following my fall the previous day, but there are ways to adapt. We opened with dynamic quick poses, which were kind-of self-warming and short enough for any discomfort to be tolerable. Then came the long pose of an hour and 40 minutes.
Tutor Victoria Rance provided an armchair for the pose platform, with a blanket over its back and around its sides for an extra warming, cocooning effect. Not much extra, it has to be said, but every little helps. More significantly no fewer than five heaters of various types were organised into an arc at the exposed front of me.
You’d think five heaters would be more than enough, but in a cavernous Victorian hall with a high ceiling, ancient single-glazed windows and draughty doors, each heater is only effective at the point to which it aims directly. A few centimetres either side of this short and narrow cone of warmth gets no benefit. Five proved just about sufficient.
With all these mitigations in place I settled into the armchair. My body was at a gentle tilt and my arms suitably arranged to ease any muscle burdens from my troubled ribs. Thus set, we commenced. Artists toiled at their easels while I sat comfortably enough to need only one stretch-break in the whole 100 minutes. That counts as success.
Pose minutes, 7:30pm-10pm
Part 1 : 1, 1, 1, 5, 10, 55.
— break —
Part 2 : 45 continuation.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Anita Ives.
Artwork by Victoria Rance.
Artwork by Anita Ives.
Life modelling in 2026 got off to a flier for me in more ways than one. No aeroplanes, but a flurry of early bookings, a fantastic opener at The Art of Isolation and actually, yes, even a brief unexpected airborne journey…
Whilst I am always enthusiastic to return to The Art of Isolation, I was slightly nervous that artists would be less forthcoming after the expenses of Christmas. I needn’t have worried though; we had a very healthy turn-out. Good energy.
As ever, Rod Kitson led the session with great vigour, offering tips and challenges to artists during the short poses of our first half, followed by a live portrait drawing demo as we got underway with the single long pose of our second half.
I threw all my usual energy into each pose but I’d been a tad under the weather since New Year so despite many lovely people being present, I held back from mingling too closely either side of each half. No need to risk passing on any lingering germs.
Everything went well and it seemed a good time was had by all. My final flier came in the car park afterwards when I tripped over a rubber speed-hump and landed heavily on my right-side. Nothing broken, just grazed palms, bruised ribs and a painful hip.
Notwithstanding that slapstick conclusion, this was an excellent beginning for the first sheet of a new calendar. I turned the page with positive intent and I retain my positive outlook. It’ll take more than a few bumps and abrasions to thwart me. Onward!
Pose minutes, 12:30pm-2:30pm
Part 1 : 10, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1+2, 5, 10, 15.
— break —
Part 2 : 40.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Sophia.
Artwork by l’art pour l’art.
Artwork by HAFFA.
Photo by Rod Kitson.
My last booking of 2025 was for Cosy Life Drawing London – that is, the animators of Framestore at the lower level of their Chancery Lane studios. Lots of short poses, loads of props, great playlist, brilliant art, wine and cake at the interval… a lovely way to finish a marvellous year of being a model.
Truth be told, modelling and travel have kept me upbeat in what otherwise may have been one of the top three toughest years of my life, if not the outright worst. After last year, however, when I probably could have said the same thing, I’m getting used to it. It’s not habitual self-pity, just separations and inevitable loss in life as we get older.
I’ve never been a natural-born optimist yet curiously now, in spite of everything, I find myself looking forward with positivity. Challenges of the past two years have all either settled down or resolved. I have my health (fingers-crossed) and my home. Finances are in pretty good shape. And there’s been a psychological shift.
The shift comes from a sudden realisation that, aside from those with whom I confirm modelling bookings, for the first time in my life I have no responsibility to anybody but myself. I’ll try to be a good person, I’ll help family and friends when I can, but crucially no-one relies on me or has expectations of me beyond bureaucracy. I’m not needed.
Depending on a person’s disposition, that could be a depressing thought. For me, it’s liberating. I’m free. If I’m not around, life will still go on with barely a blip for all those I care about. It means I too can go on, further and freer than ever, to do as much or as little as I wish. I’m looking ahead… starting with model work on 4, 5, 6 January. 🙂
Happy New Year!
Pose minutes, 6:30pm-9pm
Part 1 : 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 5, 5, 5, 10, 10, 2.
— break —
Part 2 : 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 15, 15, 15.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
After an unexpectedly high number of artists attended the previous London Drawing session (part 1) at Waterloo Action Centre this afternoon, I wondered how dramatic the inevitable dip for ‘part 2’ would be. Well, the answer was: not too dramatic at all.
Many artists left during the half-hour between each session, but also a steady flow of newcomers arrived. Tutor Andrea Voisey asked me to start with an 8-minute pose to allow time for everyone to settle. Next, a 2-minute pose while she provided a demo.
Nine quick poses of 1, 2, 3 or 5 minutes followed, after which we changed pace. One pose of 21 minutes took us to a break, and then a single 40-minute pose brought our afternoon to a close.
That last pose was my thirtieth of the day. The exertions had well and truly caught up with me; adrenaline and enthusiasm alone could no longer keep me upright so it had to be a seated pose. But of course, I angled and aligned each limb uniquely.
I was tired at the end, but wholly enjoyed the day. Not least because so many friends and familiar faces were present: Andrea and fellow London Drawing tutor Josie (who came simply to paint), with Tim and Sue and Chrissy drawing, plus more besides.
Working at the heart of a big hall packed with dozens of artists at easels or chairs, all enclosing me in a grand horseshoe, I felt privileged. It’s work that can be demanding, draining, objectifying, painful and misunderstood, but it lifts me to be wanted for it.
Pose minutes, 4pm-6pm
Part 1 : 8, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 5, 21.
— break —
Part 2 : 40.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Josie Deighton.
Artwork by Sumer Erek.
Following Tuesday’s short-notice booking with London Drawing in Covent Garden, it was a very pleasant surprise when another offer arrived from them just 48 hours later for a Saturday double-booking at Waterloo Action Centre.
Although the Saturday doubles are thought of as short-pose and long-pose sessions, in fact they both open with quick poses. The difference comes after the breaks, when the first session has two 20-minute poses and the second has one of 40 minutes.
So, part 1: quicks plus two 20s. It being the penultimate weekend before Christmas, I hadn’t expected a vast attendance but again I was pleasantly surprised when at least forty artists turned up. They love to draw, draw, draw while they can!
As per my last visit here, this session was led by irrepressible tutor, artist, model, and all-round force of nature, Andrea Voisey. We started with a 10-minute warm-up, then she set me barrelling through thirteen poses of 1, 2, 3 or 5 minutes.
Long sequences of short poses are probably still my favourite part of this job. They’re always fun, a chance to test the imagination, and warming too; warming to the extent that I had to switch off one of the two fan heaters on duty this December afternoon.
I stood in pose for the 13 minutes that remained of our first half. For the second half I sat in a tight twist on the floor, then stood again till the end of this part 1. Really great energy in the room. I hoped I had enough of it left myself to get me through part 2…
Pose minutes, 1:30pm-3:30pm
Part 1 : 10, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 13.
— break —
Part 2 : 20, 20.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Sue T.
Artwork by Sue T.
Artwork by Tim Daly.
Artwork by Josie Deighton.
Artwork by Josie Deighton.
I do like a dash of vibrancy, so it was nice to find this session for architects hosted by Adult Learning Lewisham would be focusing on watercolours. We’d been assigned the main art classroom at the Granville Park Centre, so tutor Caroline Underwood seized the chance to make use of its wider range of materials.
Not only was it to be a vivid practice, but also we looked at watercolour figure studies by Egon Schiele as references for our inspiration. I was in my element! Duly, I chose poses that wholly or in part echoed the attitudes of Schiele in some of his well-known self-portraits; four standing, two seated.
Competing pre-Christmas priorities and ill-health meant just three architects could be present, but with small numbers comes serenity. It fascinating to see how each artist, without specific directing, made distinct independent choices about preferred shades and approaches to mark-making. I wish watercolour was used more often for life art.
Pose minutes, 1pm-3pm
Part 1 : 3, 3, 10, 10, 20, 20.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Caroline Underwood.
steve ritter 