Nude Art Model: How To Make $25 an Hour To Get Naked

 

We often think about the nude as the body in its most essential state. But nude bodies in art are just as much the products of our subjectivity as clothed bodies and can communicate just as much information. Nudity is not meaningless nor does it always mean the same thing. This is especially true when it comes to the relationship between nakedness, sex, and gender. When we are seeking to understand ancient figures like the Nimrud ivory and the Aphrodite statue seen here, cultural context can make all the difference.

It is somewhat ironic that, in a society where sex appeal is used to sell everything from perfume to cars to shampoo, and where the consumption of porn involves some 40 million Americans (hardly a minority), artistic representations of nudes are regularly banned from being shown in public places. This is not a new development: Notwithstanding the fact that, historically, the nude has been one of the central subjects of art, it has been subjected to regular censorship attempts.

On its unveiling in Florence in 1501, onlookers stoned Michelangelo’s “David,” breaking off an arm. At Forest Lawn Memorial Park in California, the penis on a reproduction of “David” was masked with a fig leaf from 1939-69; its removal caused complaints. In Lake Alfred, FL in 2001 a replica of David was dressed with a loincloth after community complaints.

Today, classical nudes like Michelangelo’s David, which are modeled on the ideal bodies of Greek sculpture and exude an aura of art, age, and “purity” are rarely challenged, but their contemporary counterparts are not as lucky – even when they are abstract or stylized. And “real” nudes, that is nudes realistically portraying imperfect, sensuous, non-idealized bodies are censored with relentless regularity.

Because of their religious beliefs or upbringing some people are uncomfortable with the human body. The reasons they give when attempting to ban its representations are that children could see them or that they constitute “sexual harassment.”

Some people equate all representations of nudes with pornography and associate all nudity with sex. As there is no established legal definition of pornography (In the famous words of Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart’s “You know it when you see it”), and as contemporary art frequently toys with the conventions of porn, it is very hard to draw a line between the two. A working definition could be that the sole purpose of pornography is to create sexual arousal and that art (even as it might arouse some viewers – to each his own!) has multiple layers of meaning and creates multiple effects.

Nudes in both art and porn enjoy constitutional protection. The only sexual expression that is not protected by the First Amendment is obscenity. Needless to say, nudes, even if they appeal to someone’s sexual imagination, are not obscene. To be obscene, material should, among other criteria, lack serious social, political or artistic value.
Posing naked for art is an age-old tradition. People were posing as far back as when humans first started to paint pictures of themselves and their environment.

Luckily, this ancient art did not die with the times; it continues to live on. Despite the invention of sophisticated instruments to capture images in our world and the way we live, many people still opt to paint pictures — and they make a living doing it.

These modern painters, just like the ones before them, need subjects for their art. And that’s where you come in. First of all, to be an art model, you have to be comfortable in your own skin — nude and all. That’s the bare minimum. Unlike models in the fashion world, there’s no requirement for nude art models to look a certain way, i.e., thin, tall with high cheekbones. Artist and Painters work with a broad range of people and body types. You can be as thin as a toothpick or as big as a warship; it doesn’t matter. Most artists and art studios welcome all body types, ethnicities, and ages as long as they’re 18 years old and above.

The more unconventional your body type, the better. Another requirement for art modeling is the ability to remain in a pose for long periods. That’s because artists need enough time to capture the scene and the object of their art. Shifting, shaking, or rapid movement while the artist is painting or drawing can be very distracting.
The artist might give you a prop to balance yourself if you’re unable to do so on your own. However, that might not be the case.

Finding work as a nude art model can be easy depending on where you live. If you live in a big city with art studios, art schools, art departments, and people who practice the fine arts, your chance of finding a modeling job is high. Conversely, if you live in a small town without any of the institutions mentioned above, it will be much harder to get nude art modeling jobs.

Who Can Succeed As An Art Model. People who succeed in art modeling are those who don’t have insecurities about their bodies. They know who they are, and they are confident in their self-image. Confidence in your self-image is essential because art modeling often requires people to take their clothes off. Apart from having confidence, art modeling also requires physical fitness and a love for the arts. You have to know how to appreciate art.

How Much Does Art Modeling Jobs Pay? It is improbable that you will make a living from art modeling. That’s because most people who hire art models hire them for a short time, and for specific jobs. However, if you only need to make an occasional side income, then nude modeling will be a great side gig. Art departments of many colleges and universities are continually hiring art models for teaching purposes. They are great places to look for nude modeling jobs. Most of these jobs pay anywhere between $18 and $25 an hour. Others pay up to $150 a day. That’s not bad for something you can do on the side.

Conclusion

Art modeling is a great way to earn money on the side. This job is suitable for people who are comfortable with their bodies. While it may not provide a full-time income, it can certainly serve as an occasional part-time gig.