This is a question I often get asked at hen parties and birthday celebrations. One thing is certain, I didn’t become a life model overnight!
If I go back to the beginning, I started modelling for life drawing classes because I love drawing! I have no interest drawing landscapes, but I have been drawing people since I was in school.
Life models were not on my radar as a 16-year-old, so portraits of people were my interest. I just wanted to draw a face as life like as possible. My Art teacher wasn’t happy with this. He wanted me to experiment with different materials, textures and colours. Consequently, I gave up on my art – especially when University and a social life got in the way.
Inspired by scene from Titanic
I probably shouldn’t admit this, but my life of drawing was once again ignited by watching a film. I didn’t watch Titanic when it was first released, but I did end up watching it a few years later. The scene where Leonardo DiCaprio draws Kate Winslet was an inspiration. I guess that the idea of drawing a beautiful nude woman may have triggered a dormant passion.
Months later, I started attending a local life drawing class. I spent a few years attending the class and learning how to draw various male and female models. It’s very frustrating when you can’t put on paper what you’re seeing in front of you, but it does get better with time and effort. Drawing is also really satisfying and rewarding.
One day, I turned up to my life drawing class and there was no model. The tutor had booked a female model but couldn’t get hold of her on the day. No model meant no class. I then went to the tutor and put myself forward to fill the void! I hadn’t thought about being a model previously, but there must have been a seed of interest in my head somewhere. The tutor agreed to let me model, and so the class got going.
To walk out in front of the group was both exhilarating and frightening – but much more of the latter. Once we got going, it was fine. Since I’d been to so many classes, I knew the type of poses to do. I must have done something right, as the tutor asked me back again – and soon I was doing it regularly. The downside of course was that I was then getting fewer opportunities to draw.
I went on to model for a number of different tutors and classes. One day someone asked me if I would model for a hen party. I soon realised that there was a lot more interaction with a group of ladies on a hen party or birthdays. They were also a lot more fun – so I was more than happy to do it.
Entertaining hen parties since 2011
I saw what worked well with the hen party company, and later started my own hen party life drawing service. I’ve now been running Arty Hen Party (henlifemodel.com) for 8 years!
There are countless hen party providers which offer some kind of life drawing classes with a naked man. They are often on the same lines as the Butler in the Buff. From the feedback I receive from some groups, few of them blend in the essential element of learning how to draw. As experienced model, artist and tutor, I do blend learning how to draw with a lot of cheeky fun.
Since you’ve now read my story, you will hopefully appreciate my passion. I feel that I provide an appropriate and suitable activity for any hen party or celebration.
Get in touch if you think life drawing would work for your hen party or birthday celebration.
