Here's looking at you

In every art studio, there is always someone who is willing to do what would make most people blush. That person is the model, the man or woman who is there to disrobe casually in front of a group of strangers for a couple of hours, hold a series of poses without a word of complaint about the inevitable chill that sets in or the hard edges of the furniture that make the joints stiffen as the body is held relaxed, but motionless.

Live models are an essential part of an artist’s education, and there is a steady demand for them. There’s also a steady supply of people offering up their bodies. Samantha Youssef, who hires for drawing sessions at Studio Technique on Ste. Catherine St. W., gets 30 emails a week expressing interest in modelling, but on average, only one of the applications will be taken seriously. Most of the ignored applications are from young people who have a friend who models and think it’s an easy way to make money, but have sought no training and don’t offer much information about themselves, like references and CVs, Youssef said.

“Some experienced models recommend people and I might try them because I respect the model,” she said. “I like people with a performance background and stage presence because they have fluidity to their poses and are athletic.”

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