In November, my début booking for Cosy Life Drawing London at Framestore had been a duo session with Esther. Fast forward two months, this was now my first solo session. I arrived comfortably early as the venue’s pre-visit sign-in email stated 18:00 under ‘When’. It should have been 19:00 but, no problem, I like to be in good time.
The set-up was exactly the same as before: the space, availability of props, the pose lengths, the automated timing system, music, a glass of wine at the interval. All good. Small easels for the artists seemed to be new. And, of course, people change. Artists can vary from session to session; and I no longer had Esther.
I’d been a bit under the weather going into this evening, but once we were under way my energy lifted and I felt on pretty good form. Even so, there was a poignancy about being solo after modelling here beautifully as a couple just weeks ago. I wasn’t aware of projecting sadness, yet… these are skilled artists, they saw it in the longer poses.
Pose minutes, 7pm-9:30pm
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.
Artwork by Vincent Aupetit.
Artwork by Germaine Colajanni.
Artwork by Vincent Aupetit.
Artwork by Germaine Colajanni.
Artwork by Vincent Aupetit.
Artwork by Vincent Aupetit.
Artwork by Germaine Colajanni.
Artwork by Vincent Aupetit.
Artwork by Vincent Aupetit.
Artwork by Germaine Colajanni.
Artwork by Vincent Aupetit.
Artwork by Vincent Aupetit.
Happy New Year! At this stage in the first fortnight of January, those words are more a wish than a position statement. Nevertheless, it’s good to be back life modelling, good to be back with Adrian Dutton’s groups, good to be back at the Garrett Centre.
No matter what else might be happening in the universe, I require nothing more than a warm place to be a life model. No props nor prompts; naked simplicity. Tell me a pose duration and allow me to make the most interesting sustainable shape with my body.
In the month leading up to this date I’ve had to face some of the most challenging and upsetting situations of my life. The only consolation of having multiple troubles is there is no time to dwell on any single one of them or succumb to insidious negativity.
But it’s not over yet. Life goes on. And so does life modelling.
Pose minutes, 7pm-9pm
Part 1 : 5, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 6, 10, 25.
— break —
Part 2 : 5, 2, 10, 20.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by andrewzxlim.
Artwork by andrewzxlim.
This was likely to be my last booking of 2024, and there could be no finer way to end my life modelling year than the manner in which it began: a duo session with Esther. We would be posing at Hayes Free Church for West Wickham Arts Association.
While travelling to the venue we considered our poses. Esther had already been told we could decide the pose times. At our previous duo booking a series of short poses had suited the animators of Framestore. Here, however, longer seemed more apt.
So we suggested three 20-minute poses for the first half, followed by a single pose of 45 minutes after mince pies at the interval. The group agreed and so it came to pass, on a bench in the round for a full turn-out of artists, with the hall nicely heated.
Despite calling the shots for each pose, we failed to reach the end of any without one or both of us feeling some pain. Nonetheless, it was lovely working together. A strong connection strengthened in balance, understanding and intimacy as time passed.
It had been a difficult 72 hours for me ahead of this; both parents admitted to hospital after more than twelve hours on gurneys in A&E. They are both in their 80s, both with dementia, mum having collapsed at home overnight. Very tough times for them.
I’d accompanied them in the ambulance, waited with them in A&E, did the form-filling, made sure they were safe and their needs understood, while they themselves floated in and out of recognising me. I came straight to this life drawing from hospital visiting.
I’m only sharing this here because it’s what’s overwhelmingly going on with me at the moment. What else is in my head? But art has a power to take us from the traumatic, if only as a brief interlude. Time enough to slow, reconnect inside… and heal a little.
Pose minutes, 7:30pm-9:30pm
Part 1 : 20, 20, 20.
— break —
Part 2 : 45.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
I’ve life modelled at The Conservatoire each year since 2016, but almost exclusively for Monday evening life drawing classes. This booking – inherited from Esther – was different, being one class within a wider ‘How to Draw’ course incorporating figurative art and much more besides.
I would be posing nude, and working with tutor Victoria Rance in the main art studio, but that’s as far as similarities to Monday sessions went. Rather than warm-up poses of 1, 1, 1, 5 and 10 minutes, we started with three of 2 minutes. Apparently warm-ups here are usually only a minute each, so maybe my height warranted double-time.
The main difference was that instead of then progressing to a single long pose, there was more flexibility to set-up tableaux and adapt pose times to suit the artists’ needs. Curiously for a midwinter afternoon, Victoria had an inspiration to create scenes from Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream‘. I was to be Oberon… and Puck.
Standing on a podium adorned with flowers, leaves, pine cones and other decorative items, first I was to face to my right as Oberon with an outstretched palm, and next to my left as Puck playing a flute – which in fact was a plastic thigh bone, being the only available prop with flute-like proportions.
As Oberon, I held a small human figurine in my right palm. The idea was that instead of drawing the figurine, our artists would leave the space vacant and sketch me in my Puck pose in its place. One might think the figurine would be tricky to hold upright for half an hour, but it was a doddle. My femur-flute was another, weightier, matter.
The flute held for the required time – less than that of the Oberon pose as it was only for a mini-me sketch. We still had time at the end for a simple 15-minute sitting pose. Overall this was an enjoyable, engaging, nicely-balanced session. I even got creative myself: I’d made Oberon’s wreath from a bay tree in my garden the day before.
Pose minutes, 7:30pm-10pm
Part 1 : 2, 2, 2, 30.
— break —
Part 2 : 20, 15.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
My fourth and final life drawing session of 2024 for Hesketh Hubbard Art Society at Mall Galleries was back on ‘quick’ pose duty (four 15-minute poses before the break and two of 30 minutes after) rather than ‘long’ (one pose for an hour either side of the break) or portrait (again, one pose, but clothed).
As ever here, I made a mental note of my six poses before arriving. Partly this was to make sure I wouldn’t repeat poses from my last two visits. Also, as this a multi-model venue with a regular influx of new young models, it gives me extra confidence that I’ll maintain a good standard. Of course, this need is pure self-inflicted psychologising.
After standing, sitting, standing and reclining in the first half, I sat down at the interval with a cup of tea and a pie (festive mince variety). Time flew as I chatted football with artist Graham Wood. We ranged from non-league Carshalton to bygone Wimbledon, to the Scottish contingent at Napoli. Quite rare subject matter in arty circles!
I stood and sat in the second half. Fifteen minutes into the 30-minute standing pose I knew I had a problem with my raised left arm. Vague tingles had started to become a cold heavy numbness. I couldn’t micro-manage it, so after five more minutes I had no option other than to apologise and try shaking it out for a few seconds.
Shaking provided only fleeting respite, so after another five minutes I was once again obliged to try exercising life into the troublesome limb. Tantalisingly close to the finish, when the physical dead weight was maybe equalled by the psychological burden, my sinister arm finally collapsed for good… just as “last 30 seconds” was called.
I kept my closing seated pose simple. Everybody seemed positive at the end, with no verbal criticism made of my malfunctioning appendage. Indeed I was asked why I put myself through such punishing poses when many models “just sit there”. The answer was as per the start of this blog: my compulsion to ‘maintain a good standard’.
I’m keenly aware of being an anomaly in the broad demographic of models who work here. I’m 55 years-old; male; ex-office worker; a bag of bones, bulges and blemishes; physically unusual, but rather unfit. I feel I have to work extra hard earn my bookings, otherwise there’s an endless supply of dancers and acrobats ready to take my place!
Pose minutes, 6pm-8:15pm
Part 1 : 15, 15, 15, 15.
— break —
Part 2 : 30, 30.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Artwork by Jeremey Deacon.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Artwork by Theo Phizza.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
Artwork by Simon Whittle.
I knew this would be a tough one: two hours posing nude in a venue that’s one of the hardest to make warm, on the chilliest night of autumn so far, an outside temperature hovering around -1°C. I was not wrong.
The three main challenges at Topolski Studio are: (i) it’s cavernous, under a railway bridge arch near Waterloo station; (ii) its door is kept ajar during the first pose so late arrivals (and freezing draughts) can get in; (iii) its power circuit is easily tripped.
I was posing centrally in the main space near the door, surrounded by artists wearing winter coats, scarves or woolly hats. Five minutes into the opening pose, all three fan heaters around me cut-out simultaneously, along with all the plugged-in lamps.
It took five further minutes for tutor Mark Lovelace to unplug the non-essential items, find the fusebox and reset its switches. The little heaters whirred back into life. All the while I’d been thinking: if they stay dead, at what point do I quit before I’m dead?
I’m a ‘show must go on‘ kind of guy, but guidance on workplace temperatures says: “the temperature in all indoor workplaces must be reasonable“, with a minimum 16°C suggested… presumably for fully-dressed staff. I suspect we were below 16 here.
But the show went on and, whilst not comfortable, was tolerable. After the interval, an extra portable radiator was plugged-in but soon the power cut out again. Nice try. The fan heaters’ electricity was restored more quickly this time and stayed on till the end.
So the main narrative is the struggle to stay warm. Apart from that, however, this was another really nice session at one of Adrian Dutton’s groups. The vibe, friendliness, informal tuition, refreshments, pastries, great art, good pay, and tips encouraged too.
At various times in pose, I imagined this blog being nothing but paragraphs of…
cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold cold 🙂
No complaints, though. I knew the likely situation before I arrived; there was little that Mark could have done to improve it. I own my choices, it’s still a privilege; afterwards, unlike London’s many rough sleepers, I can warm-up at home.
I gave my tip money to Shelter.
Pose minutes, 7pm-9pm
Part 1 : 15, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 5, 10, 20.
— break —
Part 2 : 20, 20.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Helen.
Compared with the simplicity and serenity of my portrait session for The Croydon Art Society yesterday, this first-time booking at London College of Communication – a part of University of the Arts London (UAL) – required toil just to get on board.
Create an online profile, upload my CV, apply for the job, justify my application, prove my right to work in the UK, then get a visitor’s pass at reception, locate the lifts, go up to the 13th floor… and there find I can’t get through the door without a security card.
After hanging around outside for about quarter of an hour, I was eventually let in by a student attending the class. It vindicates my standard modus operandi: making sure I arrive with plenty of time to spare when booked for an unfamiliar venue.
Not far behind me came the course tutor, Anne Noble-Partridge of London Drawing. She immediately set her nine students to work rearranging the furniture and standing easels in an arc facing the area that would be my pose space.
In this session, Anne attempted to teach a framework of methods for observation and measurement. This included measurement simply by sight and measurement using a stick held at straight-arm’s length. Nothing too disruptive there, one might think.
To some extent, however, she was wading through treacle in trying to make the point that, whether or not students use the techniques routinely, they are universally useful skills for all artists to possess. Worth learning.
The challenge with university-level art students is that often they already have a keen sense of how they want to create. Established modes of self-expression may feel like an essential and defining part of their identity. These can be hard to unpick.
But Anne is nothing if not a force to be reckoned with. Resistance is futile, even when passive or subconscious. Apart from overcoming habit, the key is reassurance: this is not about smothering individuality, but rather broadening and underpinning capability.
For my part, I just made shapes. Lots of dynamic warm-ups, then standing for demos and students’ own practice of techniques before a seated denouement. Whatever the students’ perceptions, at least this model came away feeling better educated. 🙂
Pose minutes, 6:15pm-8:15pm
Part 1 : 5, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, untimed sight measuring demo, 5-10, untimed stick measuring demo, 5-10.
— break —
Part 2 : 25.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Sight-measuring demo and stick-measuring demo.
steve ritter 