Figure Drawing: Artist's Models on Modeling -Books about Artists and Models

Friday, November 20, 2009

Artist's Models on Modeling -Books about Artists and Models

Franz Fiedler, Artist and Model

Andrew Cahner sent me a copy of his book, The Art Model's Handbook: The Naked Truth about Posing for Art Classes and Fine Artists. He is an experienced life model himself and combines his knowledge of the business with interviews of other models, artists and booking agents to produce an unusually complete book about modeling for artists.

Among the models he interviewed is Parker McPhinney, who was the model who appeared as a model on Star Trek, The Next Generation.

By combining the various perspectives in one book he provides the aspiring model with information about what is expected of the model and how to do the best job possible and also shows the artist how to make the model comfortable and treat the model professionally and therefore how to get the best possible drawing experience out of a session.

At the back of the book he includes five really useful documents, a sample model release, a model's protocol, a sample memo to new models from a model booker, an art model policy for the faculty, and a memo to the faculty on the scheduling of models.

The internet is full of tips for models and note on the experience of modeling, and this book includes links to the best of the sites, but everyone involved in representational figure drawing from the model to the artist should take a look at this book to get a perspective on the experience different from their own and to make the experience a profitable one for everyone involved.

To see the book at Amazon.com click on the link:
The Art Model's Handbook: The Naked Truth about Posing for Art Classes and Fine Artists

Here are a couple of other books documenting the model's experience:

Finding Human Form: Artists' Models in Studio and Classroom,
a book by Savannah Author Linda Bulloch and Michael Porten, an alumnus of the Savannah College of Art an Design discusses what is is like to be an artist's model. Linda Bulloch is a model. Michael Porten is an illustrator.

From The Chronicle, The Official Source of Information about SCAD events, people, policis and programs. Studio model draws on experience for book.

Bulloch is a retired college counselor who has worked as a studio model for 12 years, eight of them at SCAD. For the past three years, she has coordinated the studio model program for the animation, fashion, foundation studies, illustration, painting and sequential art departments. Twenty-two models with a variety of body types, ages, ethnicities and backgrounds work for her office, she said. In the book, Bulloch analyzes the experience and role of studio models. She discusses stage fright, life drawing, body types, illustrative techniques and concepts of beauty. She also provides information about life drawing syllabi, media, poses, lighting and instruction. “I think there’s no book like this for artists and general readership on this subject, on studio models in an academic environment,” she said. “When I was doing the research I didn’t find anything that talked about this aspect of art education.”

Bulloch started her studio modeling career at the University of Georgia, where she taught writing courses.

"It was sort of a late-life change for me,, she said. ,One of our writing students suggested that they were tired of drawing stick figures and they needed older, fleshier models."

In fact, Bulloch said, one of the most popular aspects of the book so far is the chapter called "Miss Perfect Body," in which she looks at cultural concepts of ideal beauty.

"Even perfect-body people don't think they have it," she said. "In art, what is valuable is a great variety of natural bodies, men and women of all ages, sizes, shapes and ethnicities."

Kathleen Rooney, from her book tour.

Live Nude Girl: My Life as an Object

From Publishers Weekly:
Starred Review. Author, award-winning poet and professional artists' model Rooney (Reading with Oprah, Something Really Wonderful) uses everything from Roland Barthes quotations to sitcom episode synopses off the internet (specifically, fortunecity.com on Growing Pains) to explore the myths and realities of nude modeling...

Artist and Model by W. R. Watkins

A photograph circa 1900 showing an artist at work in the studio with 2 models.

Wikipedia Article: Figure Drawing.

A poster for a Jack Benny Movie, Artists and Models.

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in Artists & Models [VHS]

Modeling Life: Art Models Speak About Nudity, Sexuality, And the Creative Process

And finally here is a french comic book treatment of Kiki of Montparnasse.

Kiki de Montparnasse

Kiki's Paris: Artist and Lovers 1900-1930

Kiki's Memoirs

This is a translation of the blog post by Charlotte Sapin:

Casterman Editions - 374 pages

Script: José-Louis Bocquet - Drawing: Catel

Presentation: In the bohemian Montparnasse and Engineering 1920, Kiki manages to rise above poverty to become one of the most charismatic figures of the avant-garde of the inter-war period. Companion of Man Ray in which she inspires her the most legendary photos, she will be immortalized by Kisling, Fujita, Per Krohg, Calder, Leger and Utrillo. But if Kiki is the muse of a generation that seeks to remove the hangover of the Great War, it is primarily one of the first emancipated women of this century.
...
But this book is primarily a cry of a woman. The cry of a woman who wants to exist in an era that forbade. The cry of a woman who must sell themselves to survive.

Another review by Smithereens: Catel & Bocquet, Kiki de Montparnasse (French, 2007)

And one by Jahnsonic: Strong and independent women: Kiki de Montparnasse

For a change of pace, here is a book by a naturalist who, himself attends life drawing session, an artist on modeling, Peter Steinhart's The Undressed Art: Why We Draw.