Non academic modeling (II)

Henri Castelli

Professional artists often have a circle of models they work through, hiring and adding as time passes. When a comfortable working relationship is established, many painters and artists relax their standards and models do the same. Longer poses, more comfortable and casual environments, and more collegial relationships may develop. However, in a professional studio environment, with an artist on a deadline or with commission guidelines, art school and art-model industry standards generally apply, with higher rates of pay and longer, more demanding poses.

Non Academic Models

Models are hired by a variety of creative professionals, including not only painters and sculptors, but video game designers, furniture designers, people who craft artificial limbs, etc. This work varies somewhat from modeling for a class. The conventions for this type of modeling are much less well defined, especially as the models are often friends or family. Artists who regularly hire strangers will usually hold to art school standards in order to make models feel more comfortable, and to avoid possible legal issues.

Art Models in the media era

Artists' models as a special class appeared when the establishment of schools for the study of the human figure created a regular demand, and since that time the remuneration offered has ensured a continual supply. In the media era, modeling is also coveted as a way to achieve notoriety or even celebrity status opening the way to other careers, such as acting.

Art Models History: Renaissance

Rusty Joiner

During the Renaissance, painters generally made use of their relations and friends as models, of which many examples might be quoted from Venice, Florence, Rome and other places, and the stories of Titian and the duchess of Ferrara and of Botticelli and Simonetta Vespucci, go to show that ladies of exalted rank were sometimes not averse to having their charms immortalized by the painter's brush. Paid models were not unknown, as the story of the unfortunate contadino used by Jacopo Sansovino as model for his statue of the Bacchus will show

Art Models History: Greeks

The Greeks, who had the naked body constantly before them in the exercises of the gymnasium, had far less need of professional models than the moderns; but it is scarcely likely that they could have attained the high level reached by their works without constant study from nature. It was probably in Ancient Greece that models were first used. The story told of Zeuxis by Valerius Maximus, who had five of the most beautiful virgins of the city of Crotone offered him as models for his picture of Helen, proves their occasional use.

Model in the art school classrom setting

In the art school classroom setting, the purpose is to learn how to draw humans of different shapes, ages and ethnicity, so there are no real limitations on who the model can be. If the modeling is done nude, children are excluded as they are considered too young to pose. The exact age limit can vary, but is often between 15-18, and may be influenced by the age of consent.

The clothed or costumed art model

The clothed or costumed art model is as much in demand as the nude, especially in commercial art. Nineteenth century models who applied for work at painters' studios were expected to wear and look appropriate in period dress or character costume, and sometimes supply the garments themselves. Today, many art and design schools still train their students to sketch the dressed figure, and often pay more for costume models, who maintain their own wardrobes, than for nude models.