How to Model

Practice posing at home, so you have some idea of your modelling capabilities. Can you strike a pose and hold still for 1 minute? 5? 10? Up to 20 minutes? Perhaps you find your head moves? Find a spot on the wall and look at it to help with head stability. Do you fidget? Do some jumping jacks or other vigorous activity to work out that energy before posing.

What sort of poses?

Don’t stand there like a plank, vary your poses. Look online at classical paintings and sculpture for inspiration. Do you do yoga or Tai Chi or some sort of sports? Utilize pose from those activities and get paid for your form. Try asymmetrical poses: One arm up, one arm down, one leg bent one leg straight. Tilt your shoulders or hips or both in what is called ‘Contrapposto’ posing. With a little practice, a model’s posing repertoire can become highly diverse and individual

Are there props available? A foot stool, bar stool, chair, cane or staff and more can all add variation and interest to a pose.

You don’t always have to face the same way for each pose. Vary your pose direction and position each time. Pivoting a quarter turn for each new pose is one way to provide artists with some variation.

Stand, bend, twist, crouch, or kneel for short poses and, if you know you can hold a dynamic pose for the required length of time, go for it. Depending on your strength, fitness, and stamina, you may want to sit or lay down for longer poses, On those longer poses, consider blood flow to your extremities when getting into position, to avoid a hand or foot ‘falling asleep.’

What to bring?

If modelling nude, bring a dressing gown to be worn before modelling and during breaks, bring a non-alcoholic drink, and snacks/food if you think you’ll get hungry.

Arrive Early

Introduce yourself to the group facilitator and discuss the type and number of poses, as well as times for each pose. Sometimes the person keeping time on each pose will be different from the facilitator.

Warm Up

Bend and stretch. Twist and move. You’re going to be still for a while.

You don’t get paid for this warm-up, but there are usually two five minute breaks and one ten minute break during each two hour posing session which you do get paid for, so it evens out.

If you have any other questions contact: wpgsketch@gmail.com

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