A Hairy Situation - LifeART

Hannah_H · February 8th, 2010, 14:59

This could be a bit of a strange question! But I just wondered what advice/opinions you all have on the issue of body hair and life modelling. I was speaking to a friend who is also a model, and he is fanatical about being totally hairless, and told me to do the same. Is this the general rule, or is the 'au naturel' look fine to go with?

Any tips will be much appreciated, thanks!

PS Have just been offered my first bit of work from a gallery, I'm that chuffed!

Tony R · February 8th, 2010, 15:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hannah_H

This could be a bit of a strange question! But I just wondered what advice/opinions you all have on the issue of body hair and life modelling. I was speaking to a friend who is also a model, and he is fanatical about being totally hairless, and told me to do the same. Is this the general rule, or is the 'au naturel' look fine to go with?

Any tips will be much appreciated, thanks!

PS Have just been offered my first bit of work from a gallery, I'm that chuffed!

Firstly, welcome.

What is your friend's basis for his advice would be what exactly?

I'm afraid he is talking rubbish.

Be yourself, that's what artists want to draw. If they have a particular requiremnt, they will let you know, but I have never heard of a specification that the model must be totally hairless.

Egon Miklavcic · February 8th, 2010, 16:56

Hi

from Austria

I have never heard about a discussion in our group about hairless or nature
everything is OK

If you can hold a pose for 20 min

(BTW in most of my figure drawings you dont see it )

Hannah_H · February 8th, 2010, 21:25

Brilliant, thankyou! That's very reassuring, I wasn't looking forward to booking extremely painful waxing appointments!

Big Frog · February 8th, 2010, 21:38

Hello Hannah! Your friend may have his own reasons for shaving body hair, but they definately have nothing to do with the opinions of artists in general.

Mostly it doesn't matter either way and in my experience there may actually be a preference for 'neat and tidy' rather than 'all off' but it really is quite unimportant. Some artists may find shaven vaginas mildly offensive (or distracting) in certain poses so do take this into account when selecting your position.

I think the major thing to consider is, if you cannot shave without creating a rash then DO NOT shave at all!

Malcolm@Westby · February 8th, 2010, 22:35

There's been discussion about this topic on several occasions on this forum. The rule is - there are no rules! Speaking purely personally, this artist prefers a more "natural look" and consider the trend for the removal of all body hair (male or female) to look somewhat "un-natural". In fact, it seems like a lot of effort for no artistic benefit whatsoever!

Modelreg · February 8th, 2010, 22:51

On a more serious note,I agree with Malcolm. Natural (or maybe a slight trim!) is best.

Love your work, by the way, Malcolm

Rachel
RAM

Malcolm@Westby · February 8th, 2010, 23:03

Thanks Rachel!

DaveBiss · February 8th, 2010, 23:13

For what it's worth it's not the vagina that is shaved but the pudenda. And if the vagina is visible it's a gynaecological examination and not a life drawing class.
But I agree with those people who have said it really doesn't matter ... too much. Artists tend to draw what they are given without complaint or comment. That said we all have preferences; both artists and models. I'm not keen on body hair and prefer the smooth look, particularly on females. Males seem to look better somewhat trimmed and I find that too much body hair (wherever it is) obscures the line. I have a much bigger problem with tattoos and consider anything other than small ones (which can be overlooked) far too distracting.
I was thinking only recently just how the presentation of the body in life classes has changed over the last few decades. You really can identify the time by how the body looks. Quentin Crisp did not, in fact, pose entirely naked but who would have thought, at that time, that piercings, and quite intimate ones at that, would be regarded as pretty much acceptable. Times, and fashions, change and in a few years doubtless people will be asking on forums such as this if it is acceptable for a model to leave pubic hair entirely untrimmed.
Dave.

CliffordAlls · February 9th, 2010, 00:36

I feel that natural is obviously best, though if some shave that's fine as it adds some variety in the appearance of models used. 'Look as you want to, rather than as you feel you should' seems to be the motto here, within reason. Tattoos for example - heavy or otherwise - may not be a good idea.

That's what I believe anyway and, if artists don't want hair in their drawing, they don't have to include it. That's certainly been the case with many drawings of me, though in my case there is naturally not that much to leave out.

I was shown a drawing/portrait of Quentin Crisp the other day. I didn't notice that he was wearing anything and his pubic area was shaved, or at least that's how he was depicted.

It might be harder to introduce hair into a drawing of a shaven model on the other hand, rather than the other way round; I don't know.

Beemer · February 9th, 2010, 08:42

Slightly off topic here but I was interested to read the views on tattoos. I have a reasonably large tattoo on my upper arm and chest but I've had nothing but positive comments about it from both artists and organisers. Some artists choose to ignore it completely whilst others go to great lengths to depict it, but I haven't had a single negative comment about it.

Just to illustrate the point, the pictures on this album http://www.lifeart.co.uk/public/user...Beemer/album_6 are divided evenly between those that show my tattoo and those that don't.

Cheers,

Paul.

Malcolm@Westby · February 9th, 2010, 10:31

Also off topic a bit! I have a little "goatee" type beard. Most of the time I just leave it to grow at its rather slow rate. Every now and then I feel the need to tidy it up (perhaps going to some s****y do or other!). The trouble is, I start to adjust one side and then correct the imbalance on the other, then correct again on the other side etc. etc. Before I know it, it's become one of those number 2 stubbly things! I wonder if that's why there are so many "bald" models now - what started off as a simple attempt to tidy up ends up as a full harvest!

Big Frog · February 9th, 2010, 11:29

I do like the challenge of drawing tattoos. Most of the time however I leave them off as I haven't the time to make them look anything more than scribbles on the paper but one day I hope to be able to compliment them in my art.

studio17 · February 9th, 2010, 11:53

The model I had for our group 2 weeks ago had some gorgeous tattoos.
I'm not generally in favour of tattoos, but these were well appreciated by my group.
I chose not to draw them, but others did & it left me wondering: 'Should an artist draw them or not as although they are very much part of the model, they are also another artist's personal art work?'

Big Frog · February 9th, 2010, 12:00

Yes I think you have hit the nail on the head! If they are quite small then they are not worth drawing at all as they can look messy in artwork, but a larger design that creeps around the form can look fantastic adding strength, contrast and persective to the drawing.

JSMod · February 9th, 2010, 12:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by studio17

The model I had for our group 2 weeks ago had some gorgeous tattoos. I chose not to draw them, but others did & it left me wondering: 'Should an artist draw them or not as although they are very much part of the model, they are also another artist's personal art work?'

As a non-artist, I assume that this would rather depend on the artist's purpose.

If he is striving to record something as accurately as possible within the constraints of the medium chosen and the time available, then he should include them.

If, however, his primary intention is to produce a piece of work which he (or his client) finds aesthetically pleasing (even if nobody else does), then he is free to include or exclude them, wholly or partially, as the fancy takes him.

The artist has the power to record either what he sees, or that which he would like to see. Long may it continue.

Big Frog · February 9th, 2010, 12:16

Exactly!

PaulLD · February 9th, 2010, 14:50

I have always thought that artists want the challenge of drawing the diversity of the human form. I am slightly 'spreading' as I get older and I have been told that the variations in body type are what provides a constant challenge. As for hair, I have always had my face clean shaven but let the rest take care of itself. I do think a little tidying and pruning of pubic hair is beneficial rather than presenting with a mass of shrubbery. Artists have said that body hair adds dimension to their drawing as well as testing their skill. Myself, I think a male body devoid of hair looks odd. As a previous poster said, if an artist wants a specific body type they should request it. If they want me hairless and are prepared to pay for the waxing I might consider it; but it would cost them extra.