Description
If you’ve ever taken a figure drawing class, you may have wondered what it’s like to be the model. Figure modeling is itself a skilled art that requires practice. In this six week seminar, students will get to experience both sides of the easel, both drawing and modeling, while Ulna figure models share their approach to modeling.
Using physical improv warm-up games, we will practice quickly finding dynamic gestural poses. We will review figure drawings and paintings by artists to discuss what makes a pose “work.” We will discuss modeling culture, etiquette and professionalism, the difference between being “nude” and being “naked,” and the differences between working for an instructor and working in a drop-in environment. We’ll get into the art of accommodating our own physical limitations, and the practice of getting comfortable being seen exactly as we are. We’ll work our way from 1 minute to 20 minute poses, and learn to adjust poses so they can be comfortably held for longer.
Students will each have several opportunities to pose for the class. While we encourage students to pose nude, students may opt to pose clothed to the level of their comfort. All bodies are welcome.
This class is suitable for a wide range of students, including:
- Working figure drawing models who want to level-up their modeling skills
- Folks curious about trying figure modeling for the first time
- Artists who want to deepen their drawing practice through physical embodiment
- Anyone who has taken a figure drawing class, looked at the model and thought “I could never do that”
- …or if you thought “I bet I could do that!”
About the instructors
Dolan Dolan-Wolfe (he/they), Hoyt (they/them), and Alyssa Hursh (she/her), have over 63 years of modeling experience between them.
Lettie Jane Rennekamp is one of the owners of Ulna Studio and will be acting as a host, facilitator, learner and occasional drawing teacher during this workshop.
About the new classroom space:
Ulna studio is a creative space located on the 2nd floor of the Portland Storage Building at 215 SE Morrison St.
We offer a 50% discount to Black, Indigenous, and Trans folks, use the coupon code MAGENTA at check out.