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Naked art: Have a peek inside a nude drawing class in Singapore
CNA Lifestyle dropped by a session to notice out what exactly takes identify behind closed doors; and had a conversation with a professional model totally comfy in her own skin.
Professional model Shirley posing in front of students at Visual Arts Heart Singapore. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
On this Thursday evening, all eyes are on Shirley. Every bit she nonchalantly fixes her gaze on some imagined point at the far end of this air-conditioned room, nine complete strangers are silently but intensely scrutinising her from top to bottom.
It's all quiet, except for some gentle pianoforte music and the faint audio of scribbling on newspaper. Shirley doesn't move a muscle – even though she's been standing up for twenty minutes with her left leg at an awkward bending. It'south manifestly cold and she'south completely naked.
"Okay, time's up!" someone exclaims. Shirley relaxes, picks upward a white top and casually covers herself. Before shuffling to an next room to stretch her back, she takes a peek at a couple of nude sketches propped up on easels.
You but have to be very comfortable in your own skin
"The first time I did this, I wanted to encounter the stop result – how I looked on the canvas. It didn't feel awkward considering I already knew I will exist in front of artists," she told CNA Lifestyle earlier.
HONING SKILLS FOR TWO HOURS
Once a calendar month, the Visual Arts Centre Singapore (VAC) holds a nude life drawing session at its Dhoby Ghaut premises. For 2 hours, professional person and apprentice artists strop their skills, translating a model-in-the-flesh into figures on newspaper or canvass.
This evening, the subject is thirty-twelvemonth-former Shirley, who has been doing this for the by three years, afterward starting out every bit a photography model for lingerie, fashion and "implied nude" in 2009.
It's not that I'one thousand showing a naked body to some other person – I'one thousand showing a naked body to an artist who wants to pigment for the sake of fine art
"All girls desire to be models just they don't know where to start. I was lucky that I Googled information technology online and constitute (photographers) who wanted models, then I gave it a try. After that, I liked it a lot," she said.
These days, she roughly gets three to four gigs a week, which include nude life drawing sessions such as tonight. "Every calendar week, depending on the timing and the art system you piece of work with, in that location are assignments," she said.
VAC is one of her regular clients – and that rare non-art school venue that offers such classes.
The monthly sessions began two years agone. "We wanted to introduce professional art courses – and a role of the Academy's approach to learning fine arts were nude life and portrait drawings," explained Iola Liu, manager of VAC.
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The legacy of nude art stretches way dorsum, and is found in all cultures, from the Greeks to the Japanese, with many of the world'south masterpieces falling in this tradition. Suffice it to say, majority of these weren't just imagined by artists only had actual people in the vitrify posing for them.
"Information technology'due south basically the same as learning to describe a even so life of apples or vases and all that – but you written report the human being anatomy. You can't go far merely copying from a picture," said Iola.
FROM PROFESSIONALS TO BEGINNERS
According to Iola, between eight to 12 people attend each session and their backgrounds are quite varied. "Some are old or electric current art students, and there are besides consummate beginners. And nosotros as well have a teacher present, who guides them."
Everything is done in a controlled environment – no photography is allowed and outsiders can't but barge in. Each session is S$56 and the VAC provides the materials.
"Some people tin can't imagine just the mood is actually very serious. People who come hither are actually thankful for the opportunity to be able to draw nude models," said Iola.
For the get-go few minutes, you don't feel common cold merely and so after 10 minutes…
Tonight, ane of the students is Jing Xiang. The 28-year-old event coordinator working in the mental wellness industry is attending his first nude drawing session at the VAC.
"I haven't washed it in a long time but it's been a expert way for me to focus, and take my attending off things similar work. I think art is actually a nice fashion to relax. It's practiced to be able to observe and draw," he said.
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THE IDEAL NUDE MODEL
While nude life art – and such sessions devoted to this – is pretty normal elsewhere, that's not the case in Singapore, said Iola, citing artists similar Siew Hock Meng and Fan Shao Hua equally among the more famous ones.
Classes are by and large reserved for art schools and private sessions by dissimilar groups. Equally for nude models, at that place aren't many effectually apparently – VAC finds its models from a recommended list by the Federation of Fine art Societies.
The mood is really very serious. People who come here are really thankful for the opportunity to be able to draw nude models
"Nosotros do accept people who contact us considering they recollect it'southward very fun and desire to tick information technology off their bucket listing. Only nude life modeling is a serious assignment," said Iola, who reckons in that location are less than 50 models who do this. VAC has worked with about 10 of them.
So what does it take to become a nude model and then?
It's not merely about being naked in front of strangers. According to Iola, there are requirements regarding the models' physique – and it has to exercise with really having something to describe or pigment.
"The platonic (female person) nude life model would be curvaceous, with all the connotations of a female person body – total hips and breasts. If a model is also 'flat' (it's not ideal). For guys, we want someone with abs and muscles – although we've had feedback that some guys don't like to draw other guys," she said, with a laugh.
ON ACHING BODIES AND BEING COLD
Aside from that, models take to be disciplined. "Moving a lot is unacceptable behaviour. You're required to hold a certain position and then people tin can focus and draw you."
While models practise take breaks in-between poses – which normally includes the basic ones like continuing, sitting and lying down – it can go pretty tiring, said Shirley.
"One of the challenges is the body ache – especially if you do a pose wrongly and have to stay there for, like xv minutes. And and so there'due south the aircon. For the starting time few minutes, you don't feel cold but and so after 10 minutes…" she laughed.
And what goes on in her head as she stands or sits immobile in front end of artists? "If there's music, I'll simply heed to it. If it'south just silence, I'll treat it every bit if I'm meditating. Considering I practice yoga equally well."
The ideal (female) nude life model would be curvaceous. For guys, we want someone with abs and muscles
But what nearly the very notion of standing in your birthday adjust in front of total strangers?
"You lot just have to be very comfy in your ain pare. Not many people in Singapore can have nude modelling (but) it'south non that I'thousand showing a naked trunk to another person – I'm showing a naked body to an artist who wants to paint, who wants to photograph, for the sake of art."
While nude life modelling doesn't necessarily mean one has to actually like art, it'south certainly a big plus if one does.
Shirley, for instance, developed a love for art from her teenage years, and does some photography herself (sunsets and old buildings are favourite subjects). She too has a fine arts diploma and a degree in dance from LASALLE College of the Arts.
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That sensitivity to aesthetics extends to how she views her modelling gigs. She would normally interact with artists during breaks, and offering or receive feedback.
"Artists know what they desire in their canvas and sketches. And if I tin help them (to achieve that), why not? I'k also an artist – my torso is my tool."
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/nude-drawing-class-naked-model-singapore-art-220046
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