Published: April 4, 2003

Modern modesty
For $10 an hour, many of students at Bradley aren’t afraid to shed their threads in the name of art, but most agree that it takes guts to take it all off

BY JOHN BURKHOLDER
for Pulse

Many students are nervous before giving a speech in class. Imagine having to pose in front of your peers without any clothing.

Bradley’s Department of Art offers a life drawing course each semester, in which art students create depictions of models who have chosen to pose nude. 

Senior theater major Symphony Sanders said she had no problem with posing before a live audience.

“I was more nervous about not being able to hold a pose,” she said. “It’s a little nerve-wracking. The people in the class are not there to ogle you, they are there to work — not to date.”

The pay is $10 an hour and a session can last up to three hours. Also, if you are under 21, you would need parental consent, Sanders said.

“It’s usually a series of 15- minute poses, it depends on what they want,” she said. “There’s usually a five- to 10-minute break. Sometimes models might have to hold a pose for an hour.”

Sanders said the artwork that students create of her can also be inspiring.

“It’s flattering to see what other people draw you as. It’s interesting to see the perspectives and angles,” she said.

Sophomore theater education major Jason Coale posed for the class and feels that there always a market nude male models. He has also modeled for classes at Illinois Central College.

“It’s an easy job,” he said. “It’s a form of art. Artwork that has nudity in it is often ridiculed. The human body can be looked upon as beautiful.”

Coale did feel a little overwhelmed when he first posed for the class, though.

“The first time you are really nervous,” he said. “It’s really cold. Your whole body is not ready. It’s exciting to see the works that they do. You’re in them.”

He admits that not everyone would enjoy the modeling process.

“You have to have a certain level of self-confidence. I didn’t like taking my shirt off at the beach, now I don’t care. Some of my friends thought it was weird, but it’s exciting,” Coale said. 

Anyone can model, no matter the body type. Coale admitted that he doesn’t have a firm, structured body at the moment.

But not everyone else is thrilled at the prospect.

Sophomore social studies education major Jim Judd says he would be a bit leery about posing.

“For $10 an hour, I wouldn’t do it unless I was really strapped for cash,” he said. “I don’t feel comfortable personally doing it. I have no problems with other people who do it, though.”

Sophomore art/graphic design major Kevin Paxson is a student in the Life Drawing class, and said the class made him consider modeling.

Paxson says he has the hot body that might make for good drawings. He admits that some of the models haven’t always sported the best figures. 

“I like the way I look and I don’t mind showing it off,” he said. “I could use the $10 an hour to sit on my butt!”

Paxson said that people may snicker at the class content, but the art class is taken seriously by those enrolled in it.

“When I look at someone, I have to look at them [with the mindset] of drawing them. It’s only our culture that makes it perverted. Americans are prudes,” he said. “Everyone thinks life drawing is about drawing hot naked women.”