How to Become a Nude Model

Artists often hire models to pose for them, particularly artists who draw or paint. Sometimes these models are required to pose nude, which is not sexual so much as it is an exploration of the human form. Models do not have to be thin to be considered a good model, but they do have to be flexible and creative.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Take a yoga class or practice stretching at home. Dance will also help you to become strong and limber. You will need this to be a good nude model.

2. Practice posing in front of a mirror. You should be able to come up with ten poses that you can hold still in for at least 1 minute. These poses are called gestures, and are a sort of warm up. You should also come up with poses that you can hold for 2 minutes, 5 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

3. Practice stillness. You should be able to move into a pose and hold it for the required amount of time without squirming, adjusting or fidgeting.

4. Study art and life. This means looking at art to find poses that are interesting or alive, and also watching people go about their every day lives. Mimic poses that you see in real life, from looking over your shoulder to reaching for a high shelf. Artists find action poses more interesting than traditional reclining or seated portraits.

5. Contact art schools to let them know that you are a model and are available. Send photos if possible.

6. Create business cards and leave them with artists. Leave several cards, and ask the artist to share them with her friends.

Tips & Warnings

• Work with other models to determine how you can work or pose together. When you work as a team, you will save the artists time that they would otherwise have had to spend finding two models and trying to get them to pose well together.

Resources

• Artist Kelly Borsheim talks about modeling.

[hbutz]

on 12/21/2008 I am a photographer from New York and regularly hire nude models. My email address is [e-mail]