This session for Hesketh Hubbard Art Society at Mall Galleries was challenging. A long pose, 2 hours with a 15-minute interval in the middle. I had already committed to making it a standing pose but, for reasons unknown, on my way to the venue I began to experience dizziness and nausea.
Despite feeling unsteady and queasy I went through with the standing pose mainly to satisfy my own professional pride. I stood without a break for the first hour; at the end of which I slid down the wall behind me and sat for several minutes to recover. When, eventually, I could walk again I managed to get a cup of tea and a custard cream.
During the second half I took standing breaks at the 20-minute and 40-minute marks. No dramatic motions to ease my body though as whilst bending and shaking relieved the tension in my limbs, it also increased my nausea. Overhead spotlights pointing at my eyes and bare walls of dazzling white all around didn’t help either.
Surviving to the end was such a relief. Only about nine people were drawing me, and some of those left early, which sadly meant by the time I was able to stand and move again I had little chance to see the finished drawings. Still it was nice to catch-up with those who stayed longer. The things we do for art…
Pose minutes, 6pm-8:15pm
Part 1 : 60.
— break —
Part 2 : 60 continuation.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Work in-progress at the half-time interval – artist not known.
Artwork by Henry Gilbert.
Artwork by John Williams.
An enjoyable Saturday afternoon and early evening engaging with art and artists. For the afternoon, I ventured to West Norwood Library and Picturehouse to check-out the Interrelation exhibition of works by artist, fellow life model and friend, L.E.Smith. It’s on till 19 September and free to enter – recommended if you’re within reach.
Staying in south London, from there I went to Surrey Quays for a spot of modelling at The Art of Isolation. Run by ever-inspiring artist Rod Kitson, it’s one of my favourite places to pose. It isn’t simply a handy venue appropriated for two hours of weekly art; this space has the real-world energy of community, curiosity and constant creativity.
On a pleasant midsummer’s day it was perhaps understandable that we didn’t have a huge turn-out of artists, but still enough to align as a single arc on chairs or at easels. Nice people, talented people; a pleasure to pose for. Some short poses, then the first 20 minutes of a long pose, followed by 40 minutes more after tea and biscuits. 👍
Pose minutes, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Part 1 : 5, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2 (movement), 8, 15, 20.
— break —
Part 2 : 40 continuation.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Helen.
Artwork by Elin.
Artwork by Helen.
Artwork by Sophia.
Artwork by Elin.
Demo by Rod Kitson.
Artwork by Sophia.
Artwork by Helen.
Artwork by Elin.
Artwork by Elin.
Any life drawing group based in a pub would usually expect to be cancelling sessions if their venue couldn’t open for any reason – urgent repairs, refurbishments, whatever. Fair play then, to The Victoria Stakes in Muswell Hill for letting The Moon and Nude continue its Monday meet-ups even whilst its doors were closed to customers.
Fair play too, to the regular life drawing artists for maintaining their commitment even without drinks to steady their hands! For me, of course, it was by-the-by. Whether the bar is bustling or bare, whether artists are drinking or dry, I’ll remain motionless in the middle; a life model letting life meander, simply and always happy to be here.
Pose minutes, 7pm-9pm
Part 1 : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20.
— break —
Part 2 : 20, 20.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Alan Baines.
Artwork by Rosalind Freeborn.
Artwork by Alison Gardiner.
Artwork by Rosalind Freeborn.
Artwork by Alison Gardiner.
Artwork by Alan Baines.
Artwork by Rosalind Freeborn.
Artwork by Alison Gardiner.
Artwork by Alan Baines.
Artwork by Rosalind Freeborn.
‘attRAct‘ is a year-long series of free, artist-led creative workshops run by the Royal Academy of Arts for people aged 15 to 19. The 2025 attRAct cohort gathered for its first session in late January and has continued experiencing diverse artistic practices throughout subsequent months.
In February this included a ‘Drop-in and Draw’ workshop led by London Drawing, at which four male models formed a tableau inspired by works of Renaissance masters. No fewer than 285 young people attended that one. Fast-forward to July, this time for an all-day session with London Drawing offering intensive life drawing tuition.
It being a Saturday daytime commitment in the middle of summer, 10am to 4pm, with more emphasis on focus than fun, participant numbers were closer to 40. Within this, however, was a core that genuinely wanted to learn. Anne Noble-Partridge and Josie Deighton of London Drawing were there to teach; Lidia and I were there to pose.
Our venue was the huge Benjamin West Lecture Theatre, which first opened in 2018. As attendees could be as young as 15 years-old, models had to remain in underwear. It seemed highly unlikely that any young people present would be phased by the idea of nude figures in an art room, so I guess this was just a sop for tabloids and trolls.
We opened with a flurry of quick poses and thereafter probably averaged around the 8-minute mark for each study, interspersed with demonstration poses of 2-3 minutes. Anne, meanwhile, covered basic observation, measuring with a stick, foreshortening, continuous line, using the weaker hand or both hands, negative space, and so on.
Having initiated an exercise, Anne and Josie would then walk along the rows of seats to offer one-on-one guidance, advice, feedback and encouragement. The variety and pace of activities plus breaks were such that I never felt time was dragging. Hopefully our students thought likewise. We ended with a 20-minute pose for freestyle drawing.
So many positives in this day. Aside from the cachet of a prestige venue, there was a chance to catch-up with Lidia – it had been years! – and to witness Anne and Josie in full flight. Best, however, was getting a feeling of both artistic and human appreciation from the young people themselves. A talented bunch; I wish them bright futures. 🙂
Pose space
Royal Academy of Arts – Benjamin West Lecture Theatre.
Demonstration drawings
Demos by Anne Noble-Partridge.
Observation – on the right: what not to do.
Measurements for foreshortening.
Continuous line, back and forth across the figure.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Team selfie
Left to right: Josie, Lidia, me and Anne. 🙂
Even before I arrived for this London Drawing session at Waterloo Action Centre, my torso muscles felt tender. After the previous evening’s exertions, for animators at Framestore, I’d begun my day with a morning yoga class that concentrated on back bends. Then a few hours later came this; I was starting to feel my age.
But one learns to compensate. In life modelling as in yoga, the wisest approach is to follow each pose with a counterpose. It helps to restore balance within the body and, most importantly, avoids continually straining the muscles in the same direction. So I prioritised this consideration when deciding my poses.
Of course, in an opening hour comprised entirely of short poses in a room that fizzes with the energy of 30+ artists, one inevitably gets carried away and makes a few bad choices, but in the main it felt great; no damage done. After the break, two 20-minute seated poses – a bit twisty, naturally – slowed the pace nicely. Full-ish recovery.
Pose minutes, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Part 1 : 10, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
— break —
Part 2 : 20, 20.
Artworks
With apologies to artists I’m unable to credit.
Artwork by Andrea Voisey.
Artwork by askii.
Artwork by askii.
Artwork by askii.
After a four-week break from modelling, I’m back into a seven-day period that’s set to include at least two full-day bookings and three evening bookings. This started with a session run by the animators of Framestore at their Cosy Life Drawing group.
It’s highly energetic work, with two hours of drawing time featuring twenty-four poses, of which sixteen are just 1-minute or 2-minutes in duration. This means proportionally more time is spent in tensed dynamic postures rather than relaxed passive ones.
You might think such effort would keep me warm, especially in mid-July. Well, it does, but with the venue’s cold air conditioning apparently stuck in overdrive the organisers brought out a couple of heaters for me. My very own climate change microcosm.
Overall this session was a great way to resume after time away. Lots of variety to get my pose brain back up to speed, a nice glass of wine at the half-time interval, and so many staggeringly good drawings – from so few minutes – revealed at the end.
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.
Here’s a joyous reminiscence from way back. Exactly seven years ago today, Esther and I journeyed to Coldrum Long Barrow in Kent to be photographed by Anastasia Trahanas for her ‘Naked Britain‘ project. We were accompanied by Tara Fleur, who both supported Anastasia and enriched our day further with her presence.
Anastasia began Naked Britain in 2005, as “…an anthropological project that takes a look at ‘the self’ as a raw individual and their response to society. The representation of ‘the self’ is portrayed with an element of exposing their identity. It is not only about being naked in a physical sense (without clothing) but metaphorically as well.”
Anastasia’s photographs “…are portraits that collaborate between the photographer and the sitters, where there is no static formality in the positioning of the subject. The subjects select their location, whether it is a private, public or intimate space.” Words can then be provided by each subject to accompany their image.
Esther and I selected Coldrum Long Barrow for our location as we’d been building an affinity for ancient megaliths. During the previous 15 months we’d visited sites across the Channel Islands and the Republic of Island, and yet here was a magnificent place so very close to home that we’d never seen.
Over the course of two late-afternoon hours, Anastasia photographed us naked, both as individuals and together, at the upper burial chamber, the fallen stones below, and even at a nearby rag tree. Occasionally we were stumbled-upon by passing walkers, but we didn’t mind and neither did they. We were peaceful; as one with nature.
It was a serene and beautiful experience – both the open-air photoshoot, and sharing the joy with Anastasia and Tara. Only later did a challenge arise, in the form of having to decide which photos were best for the project. Esther and I eventually suggested a shortlist of our favourites, from which Anastasia made the final choices.
The photographs below are not official Naked Britain photos, but rather informal shots that Tara and I took around the site during our happy afternoon.
Coldrum Long Barrow: the site
Coldrum Long Barrow stone burial chamber
Fallen sarsen stones below the burial chamber
Esther at the rag tree
Naked Britain: photographer and subjects
Tara photographing Anastasia photographing Esther
Anastasia photographing Esther
Anastasia photographing me
Esther and me on the rocks
Post-shoot: me, Anastasia and Esther
steve ritter 