Hello Margaret,

I am about to start my final year FINE ART BA (hons) at DeMontfort 
University, Leicester, UK. In year one we had life drawing one morning a 
week. Thereafter it was no longer compulsory but you could use the model on 
certain mornings only, and there has to be at least two of you (apparently 
its safer that way.)

However, before arriving here I was the full time life model at Loughborough 
University School of Art and Design, UK, along with a female. (I should just 
add here that I am a male, and am a mature student of 51 years). We were 
used constantly over the five days of the week. Illustration used us all 
day, as did graphics. The female was used for textile students. THe life 
life room was situated between painting and sculpture studios, connecting 
the two. Both used us  a lot, and sculpture of course used us for full 
figure as well as portrait sculpting. Occasionally we were used by 
photographic students and ceramics too, but not much. Scullpture students 
were told that if they hit a "wall" they should get into the life room and 
draw from the model.  We had one year where the fasshion was to make life 
casts and so I was constantly covered head to toe in plaster! We even had an 
evening class which was not compulsory for the students ................they 
just HAD to attend if they were sculpture students !!!  THere is a 
foundation course at the same institution and we worked for them also. Life 
drawing/sculpting was a big part of it all. Then the suits took over and 
since life drawing for foundation and graphics and illustration had to be 
done in a larger room than the life room due to numbers, the life room had 
to be utilised for other things.  Then a new head of painting arrived and he 
didnt really like it. He didnt even like being in the same room as a naked 
model, and so painters were not encouraged to increase these skills. 
Eventually, after seven years there I couldsee the writing on the wall and 
left.

I think there a re a number of reasons for the decline in life drawing. It 
is hard. Tutors these days cant draw because they didnt do it in their days. 
Models are no longer willing to work for the minumum wage. They prefer 
female models, but if the woman is good looking she can make far more money 
in front of a camera. Female models particularly prove to be unprofessional 
in that they often fail to arrive, possibly because they have had a better 
offer elsewhere.

It was in decline about 12 years ago, but the independant groups continued 
to carry the torch and still do. I have m odelled for a high school but had 
to wear a pouch, which I suppose is understandable. Basically, I think it 
comes down to money. Universities in UK and colleges, are there to make 
money these days, not spend it. They dont really cater for art students 
anymore, as can be seen by the amount of studio space we have. Its all about 
bums on seats!!

But the figure seems to be making a bit of a comeback, so fingers crossed. I 
would like to be tutoring a life class in a college or university after 
graduation next year.

cheers

Steve B Robinson
www.art-cell.com



>From: Margaret Mayhew <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The UK drawing research network mailing list              
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Life Drawing in Art Schools
>Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 19:01:22 +1000
>
>Dear All,
>
>I was just going over some old postings on this list and thought I'd
>conduct a quick 'straw poll'.
>
>I'm assuming most of the members on this list are associated with some form
>of art institution, either as students or staff.
>
>I was wondering how many *hours* of life drawing are actually offered per
>week/semester in various institutions?
>
>Is it compulsory/optional (including foundation year) and
>  has it changed?
>and if so when?
>
>I realise that a lot of this information exists in academic calenders but
>I'm more interested in people's perceptions and recollections of the
>amount and extent of life drawing within art schools.
>
>cheers
>
>Margaret Mayhew
>PhD Candidate
>Department of Gender and Cultural Studies
>University of Sydney, Australia
>
>
>
>
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