Naked art: Take a peek inside a nude drawing class in Singapore
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CNA Lifestyle
Naked art: Take a peek inside a nude drawing class in Singapore
CNA Lifestyle dropped past a session to detect out what exactly takes place backside closed doors; and had a conversation with a professional model totally comfortable in her own skin.
Professional model Shirley posing in front of students at Visual Arts Centre Singapore. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
On this Th evening, all eyes are on Shirley. As she nonchalantly fixes her gaze on some imagined point at the far end of this air-conditioned room, 9 complete strangers are silently only intensely scrutinising her from elevation to bottom.
It's all quiet, except for some gentle piano music and the faint sound of scribbling on newspaper. Shirley doesn't move a musculus – even though she's been standing upwardly for 20 minutes with her left leg at an awkward bending. It's plain common cold and she's completely naked.
"Okay, time's up!" someone exclaims. Shirley relaxes, picks up a white elevation 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 upwardly on easels.
You just have to be very comfortable in your own skin
"The first time I did this, I wanted to run across the cease event – how I looked on the canvas. It didn't feel awkward considering I already knew I will be in front of artists," she told CNA Lifestyle earlier.
HONING SKILLS FOR TWO HOURS
One time a month, the Visual Arts Middle Singapore (VAC) holds a nude life drawing session at its Dhoby Ghaut premises. For two hours, professional and apprentice artists strop their skills, translating a model-in-the-mankind into figures on paper or canvas.
Tonight, the subject is 30-twelvemonth-erstwhile Shirley, who has been doing this for the by three years, after starting out as a photography model for lingerie, fashion and "unsaid nude" in 2009.
It's not that I'm showing a naked body to another person – I'one thousand showing a naked body to an creative person who wants to paint for the sake of art
"All girls want to be models but they don't know where to first. I was lucky that I Googled it online and found (photographers) who wanted models, so I gave it a effort. Later that, I liked it a lot," she said.
These days, she roughly gets iii to four gigs a week, which include nude life drawing sessions such as this evening. "Every calendar week, depending on the timing and the fine art organisation you lot work with, there 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 innovate professional art courses – and a role of the Academy's arroyo 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 back, 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, bulk of these weren't simply imagined by artists but had actual people in the buff posing for them.
"Information technology's basically the same as learning to depict a still life of apples or vases and all that – only you study the human anatomy. You tin can't make it merely copying from a pic," said Iola.
FROM PROFESSIONALS TO BEGINNERS
According to Iola, between 8 to 12 people attend each session and their backgrounds are quite varied. "Some are former or electric current art students, and in that location are also complete beginners. And we besides accept a teacher nowadays, who guides them."
Everything is done in a controlled environment – no photography is allowed and outsiders can't just barge in. Each session is S$56 and the VAC provides the materials.
"Some people can't imagine only the mood is actually very serious. People who come here are really thankful for the opportunity to exist able to draw nude models," said Iola.
For the beginning few minutes, y'all don't experience cold simply and then afterward ten minutes…
This evening, one of the students is Jing Xiang. The 28-year-former event coordinator working in the mental health industry is attending his kickoff nude cartoon session at the VAC.
"I haven't done it in a long time just it's been a good way for me to focus, and take my attention off things like piece of work. I think art is actually a nice way to relax. It's expert to be able to find 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 like Siew Hock Meng and Fan Shao Hua as amongst the more famous ones.
Classes are mostly reserved for art schools and individual sessions by dissimilar groups. Every bit for nude models, there aren't many around obviously – VAC finds its models from a recommended list past the Federation of Art Societies.
The mood is actually very serious. People who come here are really thankful for the opportunity to be able to draw nude models
"We exercise have people who contact the states because they think information technology's very fun and desire to tick it off their bucket list. Just nude life modeling is a serious consignment," said Iola, who reckons there are less than 50 models who do this. VAC has worked with nearly 10 of them.
And then what does it have to go a nude model then?
It's not but almost being naked in front of strangers. According to Iola, at that place are requirements regarding the models' physique – and it has to do with really having something to draw or paint.
"The ideal (female) nude life model would be curvaceous, with all the connotations of a female body – full hips and breasts. If a model is too 'flat' (it'south not platonic). For guys, we want someone with abs and muscles – although nosotros've had feedback that some guys don't like to depict other guys," she said, with a express mirth.
ON ACHING BODIES AND BEING COLD
Aside from that, models have to exist disciplined. "Moving a lot is unacceptable behaviour. You're required to concur a sure position so people tin can focus and draw yous."
While models do have breaks in-between poses – which unremarkably includes the basic ones like standing, sitting and lying downwards – information technology can go pretty tiring, said Shirley.
"1 of the challenges is the body ache – specially if you do a pose wrongly and have to stay there for, like 15 minutes. And then there'south the aircon. For the first few minutes, you lot don't feel cold but then after 10 minutes…" she laughed.
And what goes on in her caput every bit she stands or sits immobile in front of artists? "If there's music, I'll just heed to it. If it's just silence, I'll treat it as if I'one thousand meditating. Because I do yoga besides."
The ideal (female) nude life model would exist curvaceous. For guys, we desire someone with abs and muscles
Simply what about the very notion of standing in your altogether suit in front of total strangers?
"You just accept to be very comfortable in your own peel. Non many people in Singapore can accept nude modelling (but) it's not that I'g showing a naked body to another person – I'm showing a naked body to an creative person who wants to pigment, who wants to photograph, for the sake of art."
While nude life modelling doesn't necessarily mean one has to actually like art, it's certainly a big plus if ane does.
Shirley, for instance, developed a dearest 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 caste 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 offer or receive feedback.
"Artists know what they want in their canvas and sketches. And if I tin help them (to achieve that), why non? I'yard also an artist – my body is my tool."
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/nude-drawing-class-naked-model-singapore-art-220046
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