Friday, September 25, 2009
Standing completely naked in front of a classroom full of students is not a nightmare for Olivia Hernandez — it’s her job.
Models like Hernandez, a junior from Baker University, pose nude for art students in three-hour life drawing classes each week.
University art classes regularly employ models to pose nude for classes. Live models help students learn to accurately draw the human form, one of the most difficult figures in art.
“Here’s my naked body!” Hernandez explained of what she thinks while posing. “When you’re naked in front of someone you’re going to have sex with, they’re judging your body. The students aren’t thinking whether or not my boobs are big enough, they’re observing line, tone and volume.”
Art student Katherine Perez said the use of nude models is extremely important for the education of students because of the level of difficulty associated with the human form.
“They are an irreplaceable resource that is crucial to the process of creating art and learning technique,” Perez, Wichita senior, said. “The human form is one of the most used subjects in the fine arts. If anything I respect them for their willingness to put themselves out there for the arts.”
Lack of knowledge on the subject led to derogatory, lewd and immature actions by students outside the figure drawing classes trying to catch a peek of the nude models, an assistant professor of a life drawing class said.
Nude modeling is not synonymous with pornography, which is a common misconception according to Hernandez — it’s about art.
“At first my mom just thought I just took my clothes of for money,” Hernandez said. “After seeing some of the artwork done of me, her whole mindset changed. It’s art, it’s beautiful and it should be celebrated.”
Since the human form varies from person to person, many different models are employed to expose the artists to all forms.
A person must be naked to see the differences in muscle tone and bone structure, said Kent Van Dusseldorp, a 55-year-old model from Kansas City.
“Because the human body is one of the hardest things to draw,” Dusseldorp clarified, “if you can draw it, you can draw most anything else.”
Shannon Bybee, the assistant to the chairman of the visual art department, expressed the importance of using live models as opposed to other mediums for art classes.
She said a live person must be used in order to capture the true form of the human body — mannequins and dolls are not an option.
“Well Barbie is definitely not in proportion,” Bybee said.
Posing nude has helped Hernandez learn some life lessons and grow as a person.
“I am extremely comfortable with my body now; you kind of have to be,” Hernandez said.
One incident in Hernandez’s posing career helped her get over any insecurities she may have had. After going in to work not feeling well, Hernandez passed out in the middle of posing.
“Once I blacked out and woke up butt-ass naked with my head in some random student’s lap,” Hernandez said. The paramedics were taking my blood pressure with my vagina in their face. That taught me to be able to laugh at myself real quick.”
— — Edited by Abbey Strusz
Art's purest form
Art class models immitate life for students studying human form
Nude modeling offers benefits to students
Students discuss nude modeling as a job and from an artistic perspective.
Naturally nude
Morning Brew: Athletes show us their stuff
ESPN’s Body Issue celebrates the physical art of the athlete.
Calligrapher in an electronic world
Cathy Ledeker says there’s no substitute for the human touch in today’s ...
Yoga 101
Demystifiying the practice for beginners.
Editorial: Health education reduced to Paris Hilton
"What 16-year-old is going to focus on the cognitive impairment of alcohol ...
Learn what others found out hard way: ...
Overworked students' dangerous race against time
Is too much work and too little time putting students' health at ...
The art of stress relief
Martial arts training fights off daily pressures
Put Up Your Dukes
Your hands are talking about you and you probably don’t even know ...
Let's talk dirty
Bathing habits — and the idea of “dirty” and “clean” — vary ...
Inked
Tatted up
An inside look at the world of ink.
Patrons brave winter weather
Erickson: Playboy's exploitation of women needs attention
Art student donates paintings
Student contributes painting to Humane Society to be featured in art auction ...
Colonel Sanders stencil artists don't want to ...
Ryan: Yale artist raises serious, basic questions ...
The issue of truth, however, is not important to the meaning of ...
High-tech health hazard
How to keep your old cell phone from turning toxic
Not a typical school girl
Former sex columnist for the University Daily Kansan talks about what she ...
Bledowski: Europeans are more comfortable with their ...
European countries have different more positive outlooks on sex.
Film screening raises awareness
The presentation, by the KUganda group, will feature a film as well ...
Institute to highlight need for technology
The program will promote use of technology in humanities department.
Courses in art history inspire new career ...
Making a connection
Mixed-media artists reach out to viewers by transforming ordinary objects and spaces ...
Spotlight on organizations
Yoga Club
Exhibit displays areas of African culture
The Spencer Museum of Art hosts an exhibit showcasing African health and ...
Grant will allow Spencer Museum of Art ...
The $1.2 million grant puts the University in a league with schools ...
Is it safe to sext?
Sexting, or sending sexy text messages or video, can grab more attention ...
Student’s ‘Nightmare’ raises eyebrows
Student playwright debuts edgy play at the Lawrence Arts Center tonight. Burnett’s ...
English: It’s crystal clear why I switched ...
Anarchist calendar exposes the real thing
In an effort to create a different picture of women on campus, ...
Sex education classes offered next semester
Former Professor Dennis Dailey will offer a ten-week sexual education class at ...
Making knees with pigs and human cadavers
A group of graduate students is using pig and human knees to ...
KU women prepare for the ’09 calendar
Five of the 12 girls practice some of their poses before the ...
Ashley: Technology promotes learning
Professors should not ban laptop use in classrooms.
Program fosters art appreciation, job skills
Local youths transform into artists four days a week.
The facts about phobias
This Halloween Eve, understand how phobias work and how they can be ...
Former KU student wins cartoonist award
Charles M. Schulz Award comes with $10,000 prize.
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
KUnited presidential candidate Libby Johnson and vice presidential ...
1 comment
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID