Women were prohibited from drawing a nude life model until the late 19th century.
Life Drawing after the 19th Century
That was an interesting thing I learned at a Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition recently. Luckily, things have moved on since that time!
For eight years, I’ve been a nude life model and tutor for women celebrating hen parties or birthdays to draw me.
While they get to stare at a nude man for two hours, they also learn a few drawing skills from me.
I enjoy the modelling, but the tutoring and creating a memorable experience for the groups is what drives me. The tone of my classes will vary according to the groups, but I do incorporate some techniques to help them to draw.
I return now to the subject of Leonardo Da Vinci.
Leonardo Di Vinci Exhibition
The Da Vinci Exibition made me realise that I use many of his methods in my drawings and classes!
Leonardo Da Vinci drawing techniques can from a scientific perspective. He developed and refined the concept of proportion when drawing the human body. The Vitruvian Man, one of his most famous drawings, is a study of anatomical proportion. It was fantastic to see some of his drawings at the Exhibition.
From now on, groups of naughty hens can continue to squeeze, pull and cup my bits whilst I teach them a little more about artistic history!
The Leonardo Di Vinci: A Life in Drawing Exibition by the Royal Collection Trust can be seen at 12 exhibitons across the UK. If you get a chance, it’s well worth a visit.
Would you like a hen party activity with an artistic flare? A life drawing class with a Leonardo Di Vinci theme perhaps? Get in touch and tell me what you’d like.
