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PHILADELPHIA— Artists' models, with the exception of Will Ferrell, are typically depicted in popular culture as young, svelte, and shapely. In reality, art school teachers and students are much more interested in people whose bodies are more distinctively landscaped by age and an extra roll here and there--but in an image-conscious society, art programs can find these models difficult to procure, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Nude models of this variety are especially elusive, giving the few who pose for art classes steady work. Timothy McLauglin, a 64-year-old man with a shaved head and handlebar mustache, has found himself engaged for modeling work six days per week, with a devoted fan base in the faculty of Philadelphia's University of the Arts. "People think it's easy, but it's not easy," he said. "Some of the positions are just unbelievable - like one time I was lying on my back nude with my feet up against the wall and an arm outstretched staring up at the ceiling." Model types in demand include pregnant women, people with extra heft, and unique-looking specimens who could pass for extras in a Tim Burton movie. Of course, buffed twentysomethings have their place too. "When you have someone who is young and well-defined, it's a great way to learn bones and muscles," says former art teacher Charles Schmidt. But a greater range of body types "teaches you to concentrate on the differences but also the similarities - how is the leg formed and what do you see on the surface." www.artinfo.com |
