Shaving legs and armpits? - LifeART

etheric · September 23rd, 2009, 16:22

This is a question for mainly male life models.

Do you shave your legs and armpits?

Do you find it gets you hired more as far as colleges, universities and drawing groups go?

It seesms most people get rid of excess back hair and sometimes chest hair, because most artist don't like drawing the wolfman or cave bear. Fortunately for me I don't have this problem since I don't have too much body hair, but I still have leg and armpit hairs like most guys. Also I'm NOT talking about shaving the pubic region which is a personal preference, but which can be considered a bit strange by most people specially when it comes men, although its somewhat more accepted with women. So basically I'm asking are male art models better off shaving their legs and armpits as far as getting jobs for schools and the like, or does it really not matter?

DennisS · September 23rd, 2009, 16:50

Look, the idea of life drawing is to draw models in all their diversity, not stick to an imagined template. Stop worrying and get your kit off!

etheric · September 23rd, 2009, 18:01

That's not the question. The question is, whether models here found that it helps them to get hired more or not.

simplyLeah · September 23rd, 2009, 19:53

my husband says if someone wants shaven legs and armpits then they should hire a woman!

sorry. i know that doesnt answer your question either.

i dont know if you would get more jobs. i guess if someone wanted to hire a hairless male model then they would ask for 'hairless' in the advert.

another thought, you would have to put your price up to cover the cost of waxing and the time it took to keep on top of hair growth! nightmare.

Big Frog · September 23rd, 2009, 21:47

Hairy legs and arm pits don't matter in the slightest when I am booking models, even if they belong to women!

etheric · September 23rd, 2009, 23:03

The reason I was wondering is because a lot of the male models here put up pictures and a good portion of them seem to have no body hair at all, I thought maybe it helped them to get hired more that's why they do it. So I was wondering if that was the case or is it simply personal preference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by simplyLeah

my husband says if someone wants shaven legs and armpits then they should hire a woman!

Lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by simplyLeah

another thought, you would have to put your price up to cover the cost of waxing and the time it took to keep on top of hair growth! nightmare.

This was one of the other things I was wondering about, provided some said they do, is it worth the hassle.

studio17 · September 24th, 2009, 06:34

In my experience shaving probably loses more jobs than it produces.
Recently had one tutor asking about some of my male models statingshe definitely didn't want 'shavers' - although was happy with no beards!

PaulG · September 24th, 2009, 12:31

Recently asked a couple of my regular venues they didnt think it would be a problem. One actuallly thought it would be better. I have a book on life modelling academic undress. This suggests trimming is a good idea but suggests avoiding shaving as the hair adds interesting detail. It reminds me of posing for a porrait wearing my outdoor jacket and the artist being really interested in drawing all the detail of the pockets and zips etc.

Big Frog · September 24th, 2009, 18:08

Additionally, a tidy trim is much more pleasing to look at than a patch of shaving rash. If it won't shave clean then why on earth bother???

But then, why bother anyway?

Modelreg · September 24th, 2009, 19:38

I agree with the not shaving for men brigade.
However, guys, if you must shave - please maintain it. I worked with one male model who had a VERY hairy body. He shaved , but didn't do it regularly , so more or less constantly had stubble of some length or other. NOT attractive!!

Rachel
RAM

julie · September 24th, 2009, 20:12

Oh dear, this reminds me of an ignominious episode involving my son as a portrait model. Over a four week block of sittings, son proved he could sit every bit as still as mother, but sporting varying amounts of facial hair and compounding his disgrace by having a very short hair cut part way through, it's a good job he was not considering modelling as a career!

Big Frog · September 26th, 2009, 12:33

Paul W · September 26th, 2009, 23:03

Everyone is an indervidual (wrong spelling I know) so that is what people like, not all to look the same. So shaved or smooth it all adds to the mix of many people. Variety is the spice of life!!

Tony R · October 9th, 2009, 09:20

Surely if it matters to artists, then they should specify their requirements when booking the model? Having said that, I cannot recall ever reading an ad where the advertiser has specified 'fully shaven male.' I also wonder how people cope with head hair if they can't deal with body hair.

As for the original question, what's to stop you conducting your own experiment and see how it affects your bookings? I think you would be wasting your time.

etheric · October 9th, 2009, 17:06

Its so much easier to ask, rather than go through all that hassle of shaving and maintaining it.

From what has been said here I don't think it really matters anyways. I think it comes down a matter of preference. Most of the guys who do it seem to be naturist, must be a naturist thing.

Big Frog · October 9th, 2009, 18:15

Unless you particularly want to go smooth for your own personal reasons, I wouldn't bother shaving just to try and please the artists. Many artists prefer a bit of hair on their models, myself included. This goes for male and female models.

Malcolm@Westby · October 10th, 2009, 17:54

Absolutely agree! When life drawing - there's usually far more occupying my mind than the abundance or absense of hair. Models - please just do what you are comfortable with (regarding "to shave or not to shave") and concentrate on doing good poses.

Curvy · October 24th, 2009, 22:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis S.

. Stop worrying and get your kit off!

Sorry Dennis - this just made me laugh!

CliffordAlls · October 25th, 2009, 08:08

Summing it all up, 'go as you are' seems the right advice. Body hair does however seem unfashionable in the UK just now - probably some nonsense to do with hygiene if it's not on your head. Fashions change though and preferences are never uniform. For me, shaving more than my face would just be a huge bore.

The hairlessness of my legs is the envy of my wife, I don't think about underarm hair so all artists have to worry about is my moderately grey haired chest, which only shows in certain states of the light anyway.

'I'm not a lumberjack and (I hope) I'm OK!'

JaneFlux · October 27th, 2009, 13:13

Must admit myself I try not to change hairstyles or have a significant haircut until I have finished sustained/ongoing appointments and whilst I am lucky enough not to have 'speed of lightening hair growth on legs' mine thankfully are smooth generally . A female model of mine has a tremendous of armpit hair and hairy legs and models accordingly.

CliffordAlls · November 26th, 2009, 06:46

Good for her Jane! Let's keep it natural or, gender differences aside, all models would tend to look rather the same.

I am thankful daily that this job demands no stereotype!

nactual · July 6th, 2010, 04:35

Most artists don't care at all (from the professional side).
Trimmed helps showing muscles - if one has something to show ;-) Otherwise it's just a personal preference (like mine: armpits smooth, legs natural or somewhat trimmed).

Gazira · July 18th, 2010, 10:30

I wouldn't see why it would get more work. Some very hairy male models are difficult to draw because you can't see the shape of the underlying muscles, but armpits and bush aren't a problem. They're quite useful 'markers' for a drawing of a body in fact.

Apart from my heid, I don't shave, but I'm a ginger anyway and the leg and arm hair doesn't really show. I did once overhear two artists discussing my downstairs colour sceme though.

It was quite complimentary, I'd just never thought about it before.