Art student taking figure drawing

[Yuki-Anne]

Also, Savannah, that fellow you toasted kind of looks like the 11th Doctor.

Toasted?

Well, in that case, cheers! *raises glass of non-alcoholic beverage (aka water)*

[LadyRushia]

Toasted?

Well, in that case, geronimo! *raises glass of non-alcoholic beverage (aka water)*

Fixed.

[Radical Dreamer]

I think I need to re-iterate how much I love this thread. XDD

[chibiphonebooth]

I Love You~

[PrincessZelda]

I agree with what most people have said in this thread.


And I was also really nervous about taking Figure Drawing at first, but I loved it so much that I'm really consider taking the class again. I even go to all the figure drawing sessions my school has, and they're at 10am on Saturday mornings (and the fact that I get up that early on a Saturday is proof that it's something I really love).

But seriously, it's not weird at all once you're there in the class. I never had any problems or awkwardness with seeing nudity in that context. Really, it's a great experience, and you'll learn and grow a lot as an artist.

Also, if you're really nervous about it, a lot of times you don't have to take it the very first semester. I didn't take it until my junior year, and I think that actually helped make it a lot less awkward. At that point, I'd been exposed to so many works of art with artistic nudity (In art history, 2D design, etc.) that it wasn't nearly so shocking to see the actual nude models. I was kind of eased into that way.

[soul alive]

Speaking as a student of both art and architecture, learning to draw from live models is a must. What it does is not just teach you how to draw the human form, it also gives an understanding of the why and wherefore. Knowing how something goes together, how it works, what the different variables are, is an immeasurable help in drawing anything, let alone the human form.

And drawing from a model that is physically in front of you is vastly different from drawing from a photograph. The human eye combined with the brain create different perceptions and understandings of a subject than viewing the same subject from the flattened 2D perspective captured by a camera. Case in point? Foreshortening. It is much more difficult to work out and properly draw a person or object that is foreshortened from a picture than it is live.

Knowing how to draw the human body in proper proportion, is invaluable in architectural drawings, even things like elevations and sections as well as perspective drawings; as a person, you instantly can relate to the idea of the size of the human body as it relates to the size of an architectural space, which is why my professors always demanded scale figures in drawings. You can throw in all the graphic scales you want, but the human body is the best instant visual gauge of how big or not a space truly is.

As to drawing from live nude models? I have not had the experience, but my opinion has already been pretty thoroughly covered above. Even clothed figure drawing was an invaluable help; and now that I have the time, I will be seeking out nude figure drawing model sessions in the future. Nude, partial-clothed, and clothed figure drawing all serve different, but equally valid and important purposes in the artistic experience. Don't leave blank spots in your artistic education.

[steenajack]

There isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said. I LOVE Radical Dreamers first quote though. XDDD! Anyway, I have yet to draw nude figures in my college class, (You can't do that in STATS), but there was a time when I was every bit as nervous about this as you. I DID NOT want to ever have to see a naked man unless I was married to him (still don't to be honest). But over time I've come to learn that the human body is a beautiful creation of God, and is in no way evil by itself. Overtime, I've become used to the idea, and haven't thought about it until reading this thread. What these people have said have lessened my fears greatly...though, I am nervous about seeing a naked man for the first time since I have not seen one before. But you know I "figured" that if I'm gonna be focusing on getting the pose and proportions and shading right rather than the nakedness, I think it'll all be okay....
Also, idk if this would help, but this one Christian girl I knew spoke with the teacher about how drawing nude figures went against her religion, and the model was covered up a bit where he/she needed to be the day they had to draw them in class instead of being nude. Maybe if you want you can talk to your teacher about your discomfort privately.
Also, I do know that when I took a couple art classes in which we had to draw 3D objects or poses of our teacher (fully clothed)
, and I learned some tips on anatomy, I noticed my art improved much better. I also notice that when I draw things from life, they turn out much better, more realistic, and flowed more fluently. Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

[Nate]

this one Christian girl I knew spoke with the teacher about how drawing nude figures went against her religion

Did she get laughed at? I wonder what religion the Renaissance painters were, then. I mean I thought they were Christian, but I guess I was wrong!

[Maledicte]

Did she get laughed at? I wonder what religion the Renaissance painters were, then. I mean I thought they were Christian, but I guess I was wrong!

This happened at my first life drawing class too. The teacher was also a Christian and he was very nice to her about it.

[Nate]

You get lucky sometimes, I suppose. My comment wasn't so much about the reservation as the reasoning behind it. I can see "I'm not exactly comfortable with drawing a nude figure" being reasonable but it's the "because I'm a Christian" part I'm scoffing at. I mean, Michaelangelo. That's all I'm sayin'.

[PrincessZelda]

You get lucky sometimes, I suppose. My comment wasn't so much about the reservation as the reasoning behind it. I can see "I'm not exactly comfortable with drawing a nude figure" being reasonable but it's the "because I'm a Christian" part I'm scoffing at. I mean, Michaelangelo. That's all I'm sayin'.

Yeah, most of the Churches from that time had murals covering their walls and ceilings that contained nudity.


I had a friend, though, that took Figure Drawing at a Christian college, and she said they made all their models wear basically underwear.

[steenajack]

You get lucky sometimes, I suppose. My comment wasn't so much about the reservation as the reasoning behind it. I can see "I'm not exactly comfortable with drawing a nude figure" being reasonable but it's the "because I'm a Christian" part I'm scoffing at. I mean, Michaelangelo. That's all I'm sayin'.

I never said I agreed with how she worded it, I was just using it as an example. I wasn't meaning that is HAD to be worded that way. Anyway, interesting that Michaelangelo was a Christian.

[Maledicte]

You get lucky sometimes, I suppose. My comment wasn't so much about the reservation as the reasoning behind it. I can see "I'm not exactly comfortable with drawing a nude figure" being reasonable but it's the "because I'm a Christian" part I'm scoffing at. I mean, Michaelangelo. That's all I'm sayin'.

I think some Christians who use the "because I'm a Christian" line might not even be aware of the history of Christians making nude art. Nothing an in-depth art education can't cure.

[TheMewster]

I WAS thinking about being an art major. Now I'm not because this would cause me to have sexual thoughts and as a Christian, we need to flee sexual immorality. Now I'm not commanding anyone to do anything other to pray and listen to their convictions, but as for me, I think I'd have a conviction against this. And obeying God is much more important that some stupid degree that you can't even take to Heaven.
Anyway, that's really good Savannah! As much as I need to learn this since I draw anime, I think I'll stick with guesswork because my mind is dirty enough for my age and I'm trying very hard to keep it clean. God bless.

[QtheQreater]

Like others have said, if you are trying to study a pose, shading, or muscle structure in class, you won't really be paying attention to the whole "awkward" part of the situation. I understand the reservation, though, and good luck with that. Talking to your professor couldn't hurt; just be ready for a prof without sympathy if you do and take his or her response with a grain of salt (don't get worked up about it if they make fun of you or are derogatory).

I mean, Michaelangelo. That's all I'm sayin'.

Of course, the dispute between 'ol Michelangelo and various members of the church during the painting of the Sistine chapel about the nudes was rather tense. A lot of people were pretty offended at the "lewdness" of the whole thing. Michelangelo did the saintly thing and painted at least one of them in Hell with a serpent around his midsection, to put it mildly.

Just because a noted eccentric painter put nudes in a church doesn't mean it was all okay in everyone's mind. There was as much Christian dispute about it then as there is now...

I WAS thinking about being an art major. Now I'm not because this would cause me to have sexual thoughts and as a Christian, we need to flee sexual immorality. Now I'm not commanding anyone to do anything other to pray and listen to their convictions, but as for me, I think I'd have a conviction against this. And obeying God is much more important that some stupid degree that you can't even take to Heaven.

If you have the ability to go to a private Christian university, a lot of them have figure drawing class with clothed and bathing-suited models. No live nudes. The dead ones are in the cadaver labs (sorry, couldn't help it ).

[Atria35]

I WAS thinking about being an art major. Now I'm not because this would cause me to have sexual thoughts and as a Christian, we need to flee sexual immorality. Now I'm not commanding anyone to do anything other to pray and listen to their convictions, but as for me, I think I'd have a conviction against this. And obeying God is much more important that some stupid degree that you can't even take to Heaven.

To be honest, I find regular people kinda ugly when naked! xD And that's exactly what these models are- they don't look like Jonny Depp or Kiara Knightly. I mean, they're beautiful in their own ways, but after having been able to sit in on one of my friend's classes (the teacher let me in instead of waiting for her outside), I can honestly say lust is the last thing that's going on in the classroom.

[Edward]

Like others have said, if you are trying to study a pose, shading, or muscle structure in class, you won't really be paying attention to the whole "awkward" part of the situation. I understand the reservation, though, and good luck with that. Talking to your professor couldn't hurt]

This. I would recommend not saying "Because I'm Christian" though, as it may give him/her more of a reason to be rude.

If you have the ability to go to a private Christian university, a lot of them have figure drawing class with clothed and bathing-suited models. No live nudes. The dead ones are in the cadaver labs (sorry, couldn't help it ).

lol

[USSRGirl]

Anyway, interesting that Michaelangelo was a Christian.

... I'm really, REALLY hoping I misread that.

... you're an art student?

... in college?

REALLY?! I'm honestly not trying to be mean, but... are you really saying you weren't aware of that before?! D:

[FllMtl Novelist]

Anyway, interesting that Michaelangelo was a Christian.

I don't know a whole lot of world history, but wasn't practically everyone in Europe Christian at that time? Like, unless otherwise noted? (I know there were Jews and Muslims around, but normally you read "x made Christianity the country's official religion", so I'd figured Christians were the generally vast majority.)

Unless you mean Protestant, specifically, in which case I don't know if he was, and I don't know enough history to guess.

[USSRGirl]

Er... it's not really a matter of knowing history. It's pretty common knowledge. Michelangelo is one of the most famous Christian painters of all time...

Sistine Chapel?

David? <- warning; he's nekky if you google him.

Moses?

Conversion of St. Paul?

The guy did very little art that was NOT Christian!

Most of western art is inspired by Christianity... but still; MICHELANGELO! Sistine chapel, people! Sorry, but considering this an ART thread AND a Christian forum... I'm kinda speechless. I mean... he was a teenie bit important. Just sayin'.

[chibiphonebooth]

To be honest, I find regular people kinda ugly when naked! xD And that's exactly what these models are- they don't look like Jonny Depp or Kiara Knightly. I mean, they're beautiful in their own ways, but after having been able to sit in on one of my friend's classes (the teacher let me in instead of waiting for her outside), I can honestly say lust is the last thing that's going on in the classroom.

ahaha truth. Most of the models are usually ...not attractive in the least.

[Radical Dreamer]

[quote="USSRGirl (post: 1485762)"]Er... it's not really a matter of knowing history. It's pretty common knowledge. Michelangelo is one of the most famous Christian painters of all time...

Sistine Chapel?

David? <- warning]

Just to clarify, nearly (if not) all of Michaelangelo's major paintings were commissioned by the Church at the time. Just because he painted a lot of famous Christian imagery doesn't necessarily make him an obvious Christian; it's not like he wasn't being paid. XD The Internet does list him as a professing Christian, but I just mean to say that just because he painted the Sistine Chapel doesn't make it obvious to everyone what his religious beliefs were.

[goldenspines]

[quote="Radical Dreamer (post: 1485778)"]Just to clarify, nearly (if not) all of Michaelangelo's major paintings were commissioned by the Church at the time. Just because he painted a lot of famous Christian imagery doesn't necessarily make him an obvious Christian] I agree with you in the sense of an artist's religion should not be judged by his/her art.
Although, Michelangelo was very outspoken about his faith, so any study about him and his work would reveal that he was a Christian. It's rather hard to avoid this fact really.

But hey, we're getting off topic. Though, Michelangelo is a perfect example of excellent figure drawing (for males, at least). He was famous for his beautifully sculpted figures. Because he practiced how to draw the human form, he was able to make dramatic and realistic figures (both unclothed and clothed). Hence why so many people commissioned him.

[Jingo Jaden]

Weird, I always thought Michelangelo was a turtle.

[USSRGirl]

8D OMG, JM, you made my entire life with that post.

[Saiya~Jin]

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with it.


I'm going for an art major, as well, and I've had to draw nude models before. It's just the way God made us. We were born naked, a lot of us die naked. It's just our natural form. So long as you aren't perverse with it, there shouldn't be anything wrong.

IMO, the only thing wrong with the naked human body is the perverse spin humankind has put on the idea.

[TheMewster]

Weird, I always thought Michelangelo was a turtle.

Your post has made my day.

[ShiroiHikari]

Let me just say that I don't understand people who find all nudity to be sexual. Sometimes a nude body is just a nude body.

[chibiphonebooth]

no, i agree with you, shiroi. I don't know where this whole "any type of nudity is super super terrible and you should shield your eyes" mentality in christianity came from, but God made our bodies, they are a work of art. Artistic nudity is not bad nudity. It's only pornographic/sexual nudity in magazines and stuff that is the problem, only cause it causes lustful thoughts blah blah blah.

But there is in no way, shape or form anything wrong with artistic nudity in paintings and sculptures and such. The body is a beautiful thing.

[Asuka Neko]

I agree with y'all... I feel like if I stated my beliefs, it would be repeating half the thread.

Not that I have experience with taking a nude drawing class (since I'm only in high school and all), but I'm sure you will be fine, Beau! I've seen your art and I know that you won't let something like this get in the way of you becoming an even better artist!

My only problem when it comes to nude drawing classes is that my parents don't like it...