Nude Model Tells All

paradigm man

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:priest: Can a Christian model nude in a God honoring manner (2 Cor. 5:20, Col. 3:23)? I often asked myself this question when modelling for college art classes and art clubs. Very few Christians have posed nude for art classes; consequently, there is a deafening silence on this occupation from a Christian perspective. I'm breaking the silence. Unfortunately, much of what I have to say isn't positive. While reading this thread, keep in mind that as a Christian male, I placed a much higher moral standard on students, artists and teachers than had I not been a Christian. Here are my concerns, observations, and opinions.

CONCERNS

Nude modelling has consequences that aren't anticipated. I've known of models who were emotionally devasted because they didn't fully realize the consequences of baring it all. For example, there is the unspoken expectation that art students will observe the nude scientifically and objectively without eroticism or other feelings, but the problem is that people don't always respond in the way we think they should. College students can be very unprofessional (eg, rude comments) towards models, causing emotional trauma for models who are already in a vulnerable position. I've seen it happen to more than one model.

If anyone tells you that drawing nudes is completely asexual, don't believe them! The student/artist mindset isn't always set on lines and shapes; thus, nudes aren't always viewed in a detached professional manner. Moreover, more than one figure drawing teacher has admitted to me - off the record - that drawing nudes can be very sexual, depending on model attractiveness, setting, students, etc. In their words, "You can never get away from the lustful side. Its always there, ready to surface."

Nude modelling is a very immodest act that has consequences inextricably linked with it, such as unwanted attention, sexual innuendos, immature/unprofessional students, etc. Its not question of if, but when a model will experience the aforementioned consequences.

OBSERVATIONS

Things are not always as they appear, and this TRUISM applies to figure drawing. Let me explain. According to SOCIOLOGIST, 80-90 percent of COMMUNICATION is by EYE CONTACT and BODY LANGUAGE. Only the model has direct eye contact with the students/artist; consequently, most INNAPROPRIATE behavior is only detected by the model. Figure drawing class behavior isn't always as mature and professional as it may appear. This is hard to understand unless you have experience posing nude. Your perspective is very different when you are CENTER STAGE, as a nude model is. You see things that aren't detectable to most students or to teachers!!

Just because teachers try to suppress the erotic and maintain control and propriety doesn't mean things will be okay. For example, teachers cannot control eye contact and subtle body language, which can transmit loud signals of lust, flirting, etc. The most seemingly professional classroom environment may not be so. Looks can be deceiving...eyed flirtatiously...seductive smiles...

Nude models develop thick hides because they are subjected to juvenile/unprofessional behavior from college students. Most teachers, from my experience, expect nudes to tolerate and ignore juvenile/unprofessional behavior. For example, when females flirt or tease (i.e., try to arouse) male nudes, the male nudes are expected to be "professional" enough to ignore flirting/teasing. Even if a male nude told the teacher, it would be his word against the female(s), and depending on the teacher, something or nothing will be done. This explains why you don't hear male nudes complain about flirting/teasing because most teachers don't want to hear complaints. If nudes complain, most teachers won't have them model for their classes again. They will just find another model who will not complain.

Nudes are gawked/checked out by students; it comes with the territory. Figure drawing etiquette forbids gawking/checking out, but it still goes on. And depending on the class, it can go on a lot. You Christian men/women who are thinking of posing nude for art classes, you know what to expect!! How does God feel about the body being gawked/checked out?

I knew of one art school where fornication occurred regularly between the students and the models. Sexual lust does play a significant role in some figure drawing classes. Most models I know have experienced sexual innuendos from students. This shouldn't be surprising when considering our sinful nature, for "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)."

Moral relativism reigns supreme in the world of figure drawing, "Do what thy will shall be the whole of the law." On one occassion, I expressed my frustration to several male artist about female artists making sexual advances towards me. Instead of providing moral support, they called me a weirdo because I was offended by the unwelcomed advances. This reminded me of the scriptural truth that bad company produces bad morals (1 Cor. 15:33).

The MAXIM that attractive people get more attention definitely applies to nudes. For example, if Salma Hayek, the actress, posed for art classes, she would get a lot of unwanted male attention. This is something to seriously ponder for those of you thinking of posing nude. The more attractive you are, the more unwanted attention you will get, especially you women!!! I've seen professional artist lust over attractive nudes because hormones (the flesh) can override professionalism.

OPINIONS

Few people can pose nude with pure motives, but more than a few can with impure motives. I sometimes wonder if there would be enough nude models for figure drawing classes if those with impure motives were excluded from posing for art classes. In truth, I think some colleges/universities would really be hit hard with a model shortage.

Why should nudity be forced upon art students if it runs against their moral convictions? Wouldn't models wearing swimsuits work just as well for these students? More than one figure drawing teacher told me that swimsuits worked just as well for learning body proportions and that exposed genitals weren't neccessary, except, perhaps, for those being trained as medical illustrators, etc. I disagree that all art students must draw completely nude models.

MY MODELLING EXPERIENCES

It was uncommon to experience unwanted attention from women in their mid-thirties and older. Most of my problems came from females under the age of 30. In general, older women don't gawk, check out, make suggestive remarks, ogle, etc. They are restrained and sensible.

My modelling experiences at universities were, over all, not positive because of the immaturity/unprofessionalism (eg, gawking, rude comments) I encountered from students.

My experiences at art clubs were, over all, very positive. The average age of the artist was higher than in university classes; thus, the maturity and professionalism was higher than at universities/colleges. This mature professional environment made me feel secure; in fact, I decided to no longer model for colleges/universities, only certain art clubs.

I stopped modelling because it was undermining my witness for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20). I was also concerned about some of the unwanted female attention I had received, creating some dicey situations. I received a lot of unwanted female attention relative to the number of times I modelled. The frequency of unwanted attention was too high for my comfort. Spiritually, it had a negative impact on me.

The vast majority of male nude models aren't Christians, so they don't get convicted about female attention as I did, which is one of the reasons you don't hear male models complain about female attention; some enjoy it. Moreover, most male models are too embarrassed to complain to teachers, so they bite the bullet.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

I strongly advise Christians not to model nude; it can really open up the Pandora's Box. But if you insist, I would only recommend medical illustration programs, some art clubs, and hhmmm, maybe gross anatomy classes. Stay away from colleges and universities, unless juvenile behavior, being gawked and ogled, and suggestive remarks don't bother you; however, it may bother the Holy Spirit that dwells in you!! If you decide to model at an art club, make sure you inquire about the integrity of the artist because you never know who will show up. Believe me, voyeurs and other weirdos can show up.

Adam and Eve were our ambassadors. When they saw their nakedness because of sin, they of their own volition covered their nakedness (Gen. 3:7), and God gave them clothes (Gen. 3:21). I wonder if they would pose nude for art classes? HHHhhmm..When I get to heaven, I'll ask them.

One last thing, jealous husbands/boy friends have been know to storm into figure drawing classes demanding an explanation from their wives/girl friends as to why they are drawing nude males. Moreover, I know one teacher who had a :cry: jealous boy friend storm into his office demanding an explanation as to why the teacher was allowing his woman to pose nude. For these reasons and many more, many teachers don't want to teach figure drawing classes. Few teachers want to deal with jealous boy friends, weird models, juvenile student behavior, etc.

Here's a website with a good article on whether Christians should draw nudes: www.alteredegg.com/stuff/artists/nudes.php

GOD BLESS. :wave:
 

Torrignani

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Hello -

I have been a nude art model for 7 months now, and have loved every minute of it. I am a Christian in a very conservative church (Presbyterian, PCA), and was raised in a very conservative home. I am a 25 y/o 4th year medical student, and started modeling for art classes and art clubs because I love art, and want to be a part of the creative process. It was not easy to model nude at first, but now it is a very enjoyable (but difficult) pasttime for me. And being only one of two male models in a city of a million, I stay quite busy with it!

I have had no problems reconciling my Christian faith with being a nude model. The human body is God's most beautiful creation - what better way to worship him than by posing nude for artists and students to capture that glory??? I have never met a Christian (again, these are conservative Christians) who have a problem with nude modeling. Most of them would never do it (most people, Christians and non-Christians alike, would never do it) but they don't consider it sinful for me to do so.

I do agree that there are some subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, displays of juvenility in some college art classes. I agree that very subtle flirtatious gestures do occur on the part of some women - some I think do it without thinking, others know exactly what they're doing. I have had off-color remarks made, and have had female students approach me after class. But this is the exception, not the rule. And no, I've never done anything immoral with students from any of the classes. My view is that there are temptations in everything in life, and that I should not give up something that is by and large innocent and pure for the few who behave inappropriately.

Being a stripper, which implies that the intent is to arouse or titillate, is different from being a nude model. Nude modeling for art classes is about displaying the beauty of God's masterpiece, not about some prurient interest. Is there a subtle sensuality to modeling? Yes, there is. Men and women are meant to be attracted to each other physically, and this may occur in the context of figure drawing. The Bible admits this and even tacitly condones it; Proverbs 5 alludes to the sexual allure of female breasts, and Genesis describes Rachel as beautiful "of form and figure." Being attracted to a nude model isn't wrong of itself, but how the student or artist responds to that attraction. I'm sure that female students have been attracted to me (and I by no means have a perfect physique), and if it stops there, I see nothing wrong with that.

In short, I agree that there are some problems and inappropriate behaviors surrounding nude modeling for art classes, but I have experienced no aspect of it that has detracted from my Christian walk. If it does, I will stop immediately. But as for now I will continue to display the beauty of the nude body, just as God originally intended...

Any other thoughts on this topic?

MWM
 
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Lazy Iguana

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...I have had off-color remarks made, and have had female students approach me after class...I'm sure that female students have been attracted to me (and I by no means have a perfect physique)...
Attractive people attract attention. You are admitting to not having a perfect physique, but what if you had a hunky body like a Chip and Dales stripper? If you did, I have no doubt that female students approaching you after class would have been much more common.
 
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I have been a figure model for three years (both community groups and at universities), and I thought another perspective might be helpful to the original poster and anyone else who might be reading. First I'll give my perspective on modeling, and then I'll address some of the issues that have been raised:

PART I

First of all, I believe the human body is good and wholesome. We are made in the image of God, and every human being has dignity and worth. Our culture and media give so many negative messages about the body, and it's really sad the amount of destruction that has been done to people's self-worth and their attitude toward others. We need good art to counter this message and portray the dignity of the human body. When a model stands nude in front of a group of artists, he/she is saying, "This is good. This is natural. This is real. This is worth capturing in art." Artists draw the human form for a number of reasons, but when they are doing so, the model is representing all of humanity at that moment. It doesn't matter if the person is male, female, young, old, tall, short, fat, thin, etc. It doesn't matter if the model has cellulite, stretch marks, scars, etc. All of these things are real, and people need to see reality. Because true beauty is rooted in reality. The fantasy of "ideal beauty" portrayed in our media is shallow, and it causes a great deal of damage. The reason I model is to help people see reality and to appreciate humanity in general.

During longer poses in every drawing session, I pray for each person in the room, asking that God will capture them unto Christ and bring them to full maturity in Christ. I also pray that God would use the opportunity to see another human being in a completely natural state, which is created in the image of God, in such a way that it would draw them to their Creator, increase purity of heart, and counter the numerous negative messages from culture and media.

I suspect that these prayers have positively influenced the sessions more than once. I honestly cannot relate to many of the problems that have been raised. To the original poster, it sounds like you were working in a very unprofessional environment. If I was constantly getting hit on by students (which I never have been) and the instructor didn't want to hear about it, I would probably quit working there too. Or if it became a regular problem, I would at least print up a small pamphlet and hand it out to the students before class explaining proper etiquette and why I model from a Christian perspective.

Now, to address a few of the issues raised:

Is drawing nudes completely asexual? Having done a fair amount of figure drawing myself, I can state that it generally is. After hours and hours of drawing, the artist is usually worn out. By the end of a semester, students frequently skip figure drawing class, and on breaks they talk about how much they are tired of drawing people. However, human beings are sexual beings, and you cannot divorce sexuality from our humanity. God made us with our sexuality intertwined with our being, and we need to learn how to glorify Him with it. If you rarely saw a human body growing up, then the first time you do, it will bring out all sorts of emotions and curiosities--perfectly normal things, but so far there has been no suitable avenue to learn about God's creation of the human body. In a much worse scenario, if you have only learned about the human body through inappropriate contentography and promiscuous activities, then your view will be completely warped, and it will take some strong doses of "good nudity" to transform your thought process. For people in either situation, they have either an incomplete or a warped view of the human body, and they both need to see what the human body really looks like in order to appreciate it in a pure, God-honoring way.

The problem is a fundamental attitude toward the human body. The inappropriate contentography industry says, "The human body is an object that will entice sexual lust--indulge!" Unfortunately, the mainstream church in America echoes this message, saying, "The human body is an object that will entice sexual lust--suppress!" Neither attitude is Biblical. The Biblical view is that man and woman are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27; 5:1), fearfully and wonderfully made (Psa. 139:14), and the human body is very good in God's eyes (Gen. 1:31). Furthermore, it is a living picture of the church as the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12ff.; Eph. 1:22-23).

The original post mentioned a figure drawing teacher who said, "You can never get away from the lustful side. It's always there, ready to surface." That's absolutely true. But it's not only true in a figure drawing class. It's also true about the girl or guy you see walking down the street, your next door neighbor, or the person in the aisle in front of you in church. Satan will use every opportunity to tempt you. Nudity isn't the issue, because the nude human body is a good, wholesome thing created by God. The problem is the heart, which is fallen and sinful. We can be tempted to lust just as easily at a clothed or unclothed person. (Although after having been around the human body more over the past few years, I find I am tempted by a clothed body much more than a body in its natural state.) The solution to this problem is to take hold of Christ as our righteousness, sanctification, redemption, and our all (1 Cor. 1:30). We need our mind transformed from worldly views ("indulge") and religious views ("suppress"), both of which treat the body as something less than good. We need the mind of Christ who sees all people in purity the way the human body was intended to be seen by its Creator. Sheltering ourselves from the human body (which, again, is created in the image of God) will not do anything to eradicate lust. Only Christ through the Holy Spirit can purify us and keep us from temptation.


Is nudity immodest? The original post says that nude modeling is a very immodest act. I strongly disagree. The modern definition of the word modesty is a perversion of what the Bible teaches. The only Biblical passage that says to dress modestly is found in 1 Timothy 2:9-10--"in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works." Paul's definition of modesty is that of not adorning oneself with costly, showy clothing. However, in the first century, men and women often bathed in the rivers and worked nude (Peter was fishing nude in John 21; the Lord Jesus was mistaken for a gardener in John 20, presumably because He was nude). Paul's admonition to dress modestly is more about not trying to be "in fashion," not trying to flaunt wealth, and not trying to be seductive with clothing. In fact, the most desirable clothing for a godly person is "good works." In and of itself, the human body in its natural God-created state is not immodest. It is proper, good, and pure. Certainly people can do unwholesome things with their bodies, but the body in and of itself is completely modest.

I've done a bit of research on how the common views of the body have changed throughout history. When Constantine declared Christianity the state religion, a lot of Greek philosophy was brought into the church. One view was that the body is evil, but the spirit is good. Gradually, this view was accepted, and the church (and society in general) has never quite recovered. We need to reclaim the Biblical position that God created us as body, soul, and spirit. All three aspects are good, and only when we understand these three aspects can we truly understand what it means to be made in the image of God.


Is nudity necessary to learn how to draw the human body? The original post mentions that proportion can generally be learned if the model wears a swimsuit. While this is true, I find that it degrades the model. It is essentially saying, "You have certain parts that are indecent and will incite lust or disgust in others. We don't want to see all of you, just enough of you to learn proportion." I've talked with other models who have posed in figure drawing sessions where they were asked to wear a swimsuit, and they have commented that they felt more shame and immodesty in a swimsuit that when they were nude. I've also been in this situation, and I feel less pure modeling in a swimsuit than with nothing. If you want to draw a person, learn to draw a whole person. If you cover up certain parts, you are essentially labeling them as "dirty bits." I've heard Christians say, "No one wants to see your _______" (fill in the offending body part). This attitude does not honor God's creation, and it does not honor your fellow human beings.

Having said that, every art instructor I've spoken with on the topic has said that they provide alternatives for students who have moral or religious objections to drawing nude figures. (Usually, they draw a skeleton over and over again, or they copy photographs.) I've never known of anyone who was forced to draw nudes. And if they were, they are certainly free to select another major or go to another school that uses models in bathing suits.
 
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PART II

The example of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve covered themselves after sinning. What was God's reaction? Did He say, "It was wrong that you sinned, but good job on covering up?" No, He said, "Who told you that you were naked?" (Gen. 3:11, implying that this thought did not originate from themselves, but from Satan). Even after they were covered Adam said, "I was afraid because I am naked" (Gen. 3:10). Why did Adam say he was naked since he had already covered himself? It's because he realized that "there is no creature that is not manifest before [God], but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we are to give our account" (Heb. 4:13). It's true that God gave Adam and Eve clothing, but this was after He had cursed the ground to grow thorns and thistles, sentencing the man and his wife to a lifetime of difficult labor. The clothing was for protection, not modesty. They were husband and wife! Why would God want them not to see each other? If one insists that the clothing God gave Adam and Eve was for modesty, then a consistent interpretation would indicate that husbands and wives should not see each other naked. However, this is clearly refuted in other passages. God's giving of clothing did not in any way condemn simple nudity, but it was a sign of His loving provision in a fallen world.

There are actually two different Hebrew words for "naked" in Genesis. In Genesis 2:25 when it says, "the man and his wife were both naked and not ashamed," the word for "naked" is ayrome. This word simply means "existing in one's natural state without anything added." Nowhere in the Bible is ayrome condemned. Job used this word when he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return." Ecclesiastes 5:15 gives a similar phrase. There are several times when this word is used to speak of people in a deprived condition--that is, those who need clothing for protection, but do not have it--but it is never spoken of as sinful. There are also times when this condition is forced upon people, such as the captives in Isaiah 20, and it is certainly a shame to be forcibly stripped of everything one has. But the body itself is not shameful; the act of being stripped by your captors is the shameful thing. (Incidentally, God tells Isaiah to go naked and barefoot for three years in this chapter--hardly a condemnation of nudity in and of itself!)

As far as the second word for "naked"... After eating from the tree of knowledge, it says that Adam and Eve realized that they were naked. The word for "naked' here is awram. This word means "exposed, vulnerable," and it is always associated with sin. Once again, after Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves, Adam told God that he was naked. Adam still felt naked even after being covered! This indicates that clothing does not prevent us from being awram. All who have sinned are exposed before God and deserve His judgment, and clothes do not change that fact. When we are spiritually clothed with Christ, we are no longer awram, regardless of our physical covering. And regardless of our physical covering we are still awram if we have not been spiritually covered with Christ.


Conclusion

I apologize for the lengthiness of the post, but the topic raises some fundamental issues that go far beyond figure drawing. It touches on our attitude toward the human body, humanity in general, and God's creation. The more I research various culture's attitudes toward the human body and the more I realize what a horrible inappropriate contentography epidemic we have today--especially in the United States, including the church--the more I am convinced that Christian men and women would benefit greatly from taking a weekly figure drawing class. We need to look upon the human body as God views it. David said, "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, and my soul knows it well" (Psa. 139:14). The problem is that, for most of us, our soul does not know it well. We do not truly believe that God's works are wonderful. We believe that some of them are dirty and lust magnets. How we need to be delivered from this worldly attitude! Figure drawing is an excellent way to see the human body in purity. And Christians can set a good example and provide an excellent witness for those in figure drawing classes who may not share the same view.

To the original poster: I'm sorry that you have experienced the negative attitudes and actions toward you. In three years of modeling at universities and community art classes, I have never experienced these things. I would encourage you with Romans 12:21--"Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good." Even if there are people who have impure motives and enroll in figure drawing classes for the wrong reasons, don't let evil get the upper hand. You are in a wonderful position to reach out to these people and witness to them. Because of the artist-model relationship, you are in a position to reach them in a way that few others can. Of course, if you sense that the Lord is calling you away from modeling, then by all means follow Him. But don't give up on modeling because of sinful people who have poor attitudes. We would have to withdraw from all occupations if that were the case.

To those who are interested in modeling, I would say this: Check your motives. Are you modeling for the reasons mentioned above? Are you modeling to glorify God with your body? Are you modeling in order to express His image? Are you modeling so that others will see the beauty of God's creation and be drawn to the Creator? Are you modeling so that others will have a greater appreciation for humanity and hopefully respond with greater respect toward their fellow man? If so, then model as much as you can and be bold in the fact that you are proclaiming a message ("the body is good") that is counter-cultural to both the secular and the religious world! The art world needs godly models, and the world needs godly art. Figure modeling is a noble profession for those who are willing to confront the secular and religious culture with God's truth.

A few tips: When I model, I always introduce myself at the beginning of class to emphasize that I am a person, not merely an object to draw. I also pray for each individual artist/student during the session. Whenever anyone asks me why I model, I use it as an opportunity to proclaim God's truth about the human body. Over the course of time, I have met some of the neatest people, drawn others to Christ, and have met some wonderful Christians who have encouraged me in my walk with the Lord. The artists may think that they are hiring you to help them learn about drawing, but God's purpose is greater than that--He is bringing you to these men and women so that they can receive prayer and so that you can minister to them as the opportunity presents itself. Finally, take the job seriously, show up on time, and create good-quality (i.e. interesting) poses. If you are recognized as a good model, you will be invited back, which will give you more opportunities to minister to others, and it will also lend more credence to everything you say. Enjoy modeling, and may God be with you!
 
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Attractive people attract attention. You are admitting to not having a perfect physique, but what if you had a hunky body like a Chip and Dales stripper? If you did, I have no doubt that female students approaching you after class would have been much more common.

Perhaps, but this is a reality of life no matter where you are. There are many school teachers who have been hit on by students. This does not mean that they should stop teaching. They have to learn how to deal with the situation in a professional, God-honoring manner.
 
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AgapeBible

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I have mixed feelings on drawing nudes. I will never draw people in bondage again, that was my sin and lustful addiction, I thought it would be ok to draw sexy women clothed tied up, or men, I drew women because I am better at drawing them than men and they are prettier than men but lately i am getting much better at drawing men. I thought it would be ok if I had people clothed, although scantilly, in tied up positions. But now I never draw bondage scenes, it was a inappropriate contento addiction for me, even if the parts were covered and clothed, it was a lust thing.

I have ideas for meaningful pictures with a purpose and message. A nude voluptuous, large and beautiful woman busting up a full length mirror with a hammer to represent true, natural beauty conquering vanity, the world's commericalized, media idea of beauty.


I have problems and I have been drawing ever since I was little. I've looked at pictures of nudes. I don't think I could take an art class drawing a live nude model. I'd be so nervous and embarassed to see a real person butt naked in front of me, especially someone of the opposite sex, a man.


Jesus Christ was naked on the cross in historical reality. He did not have a loincloth to cover himself for dignity. He was laid bare and ashamed for the sake of our sins. The SOn of God was stripped of his clothes that gave him human dignity, he was despised, rejected by man. CHrist was made naked like Adam as he died in great pain and agony, but he was completely innocent, he had taken upon his back the guilt of the world, the holy, pure and innocent man took on the punishment for all other men and women who are guilty. God sees our nakedness everyday. He sees us when we change our clothes and take a shower.


Have you ever prayed while in the shower? DO you think God doesn't want to see you or hear you or pay any attention to you because you are naked right then? WHat about when you are born and come out of the womb naked covered in your mother's blood? WHen we are saved we are covered in Christ's blood and born again, adopted into the family of God, GOd covers us with clothes of faith and graces, he wraps his "blanket" of grace, salvation around us. We are no longer naked because from then on we are covered by GOd's blanket of salvation.


I was in a mental hospital and I wanted to draw. I started to draw Jesus on the cross and I decided to have him naked, with his private parts showing between his legs. I was not trying to be perverted or sacreligious, I wanted it to be realistic, historically accurate. But everybody was furious, they thought I was a perverted freak, they got really angry, took the drawing away from me and ripped it up, threw it away, yelled at me and called me sick. I had no bad intentions I thought about giving Jesus a loincloth but decided to have him nude, I had a plan for the picture, the staff did not understand. I wanted it to be historically accurate.
 
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Rev.Ross

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Nude art is ok as it shows the human body as God made it, nude and unashamed. Nudity is not inappropriate contentographic, as long as it is simple nudity.
To display the human body for artists to draw and learn from is a ministry of sorts-to show the beautiful creation of God. I a a retired medical scientist as well as a retired minister from a mainline church. In my secular profession, I had to deal with medical nudity at times and saw nothing wrong with that as it was non-erotic. Art in its pure form is basically non-erotic. The statue of David by Michelangelo is magnificent and non erotic, and yes the it shows the penis. It is a work of beauty and the glory of the human male as God made him. The same goes for nude statues, art and photography. Thanks for all the good nude models-Rev.Ross
 
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This thread is just what I was looking for. Because I am a writer, poet, as well as an artist I feel a conflict with my passion and with my christian faith. I love drawing nudes alot and do not deny that. I also do not think that the bible specifically condemnes such that kind of art, which also makes it hard to know what kind of nudes would be morally pleasing. In fact, if biblical erotica, such as Song of Solomon, may be found in the bible, then nudes cannot be that bad. I still would feel embarrassed to show such pictures, I have drawn, to certain people. What do you do with art that you enjoy creating, but are afraid of showing to someone?
 
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lisah

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I don't find drawing nudes exciting or erotic. I find it frustrating. Maybe for someone who is skilled and does not need to learn or focus on the technical aspects of drawing it is more erotic, but when you're sitting there and getting measurements, angles, shapes and whatnot there is nothing erotic at all.

Now, I have only drawn female nudes. The male model has not been available for any of my classes. I hear males are much easier to draw than females due to the more defined musculature. Maybe I will find it different when drawing a male. I doubt it, but I'll let you know if I am ever fortunate enough to get to draw a male model.

Btw, I think that when one is doing something they are passionate about it is exciting. This excitement can certainly become translated into the erotic, even if it is simply a flower.

Edit:
I just want to add:

I have yet had a model make eye contact with me at all. In fact, when reclining, our models have actually napped. (Is it appropriate for a nude model to make eye contact with a student while working?) Also, once drawing concludes the model leaves the campus. The students display their work and critiques are made for at least fifteen to twenty minutes.
 
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Makoto

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I am a professional graphic artist, and I have to say I am very grateful for nude models, because it's extremely helpful to be able to see every curve of every muscle when drawing the human form realistically. People mentioned swimwear before, and while that may be a good alternative to nudity, you still lose a lot of the smaller details. My personal belief is that there is nothing wrong with it if it's done in a professional, artistic manner. I am also a print/runway model on the side. I personally will not pose nude, I have my own personal reasons for not doing so that are outside of religion. I don't disrespect people who do or think that they're not good people because of it. There's been the point made of "if it's not meant to be erotic, it's ok". Well the only problem with that reasoning is that everyone's definition of "erotic" and "sexy" can be different.

Also I might add that every life drawing class I've ever been to or heard of (at least in my area) has made if very clear before the class even meets that there is to be NO communication of any type with the model.
 
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SionDS

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I think this concern has more to do with American culture than religious convictions. A lot of early christian artwork had a lot of figures that would be, while not exactly nude, considered risque by today's standards. Google Image "Saint Sebastian" for some good historical examples.

Could you imagine Christians living in places like Italy or France having a discussion about this? I cant.
 
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mandyangel

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I haven't ever posed nude before for anything. I think its probably the wrong thing to do if your christian and don't want to bare it all. But I have posed in bikinis in very provacative poses. I just feel better to flaunt it without baring it ALL. I don't see why in an art class somebody would have to be completely nude. Why not have a bikini or night ware for the girls or speedos for the guys? It would probably make the poser feel much better and is probably more appropriate for the students.
 
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danielh41

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I haven't ever posed nude before for anything. I think its probably the wrong thing to do if your christian and don't want to bare it all. But I have posed in bikinis in very provacative poses. I just feel better to flaunt it without baring it ALL. I don't see why in an art class somebody would have to be completely nude. Why not have a bikini or night ware for the girls or speedos for the guys? It would probably make the poser feel much better and is probably more appropriate for the students.

Mandy, did you read FlamRatamacues's responses? I can't recommend them enough. Here is the passage relative to your post:

The original post mentions that proportion can generally be learned if the model wears a swimsuit. While this is true, I find that it degrades the model. It is essentially saying, "You have certain parts that are indecent and will incite lust or disgust in others. We don't want to see all of you, just enough of you to learn proportion." I've talked with other models who have posed in figure drawing sessions where they were asked to wear a swimsuit, and they have commented that they felt more shame and immodesty in a swimsuit that when they were nude. I've also been in this situation, and I feel less pure modeling in a swimsuit than with nothing. If you want to draw a person, learn to draw a whole person. If you cover up certain parts, you are essentially labeling them as "dirty bits." I've heard Christians say, "No one wants to see your _______" (fill in the offending body part). This attitude does not honor God's creation, and it does not honor your fellow human beings.

My views certainly echo those of FlamRatamacues. I've been a model for almost 27 years now. I am very active in my church, and, thanks to a national television appearance I had in 2001, almost everyone knows about my nude modeling. It's not a topic that comes up much, and I'm sure most people assume that nude modeling is a part of my past, rather than my past, present, and future.

I was in a class this past Monday night, and I spent most of the evening in a standing pose next to a skeleton. During my model breaks, the instructor would talk about the anatomy of the skeleton, and I got to looking at the pelvis and what a complex structure it is, especially compared to the rest of the skeleton. When trying to learn to draw that area of the body and all its intricacies, covering any part of it would certainly be detrimental to the learning process.

I've heard it said that, for one to learn to draw a clothed person, one needs to learn to draw that person without clothes, to understand the body beneath the clothes and capture how the clothing hangs on the body. I may buy that a little bit, but from my point of view, the nude body is deserving of study and capture in its own right. We, as humans, are created in both the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). Our bodies could be considered to be a self-portrait by the Almighty Creator, and as such, are not in any way shameful.
 
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mandyangel

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Mandy, did you read FlamRatamacues's responses? I can't recommend them enough. Here is the passage relative to your post:

The original post mentions that proportion can generally be learned if the model wears a swimsuit. While this is true, I find that it degrades the model. It is essentially saying, "You have certain parts that are indecent and will incite lust or disgust in others. We don't want to see all of you, just enough of you to learn proportion." I've talked with other models who have posed in figure drawing sessions where they were asked to wear a swimsuit, and they have commented that they felt more shame and immodesty in a swimsuit that when they were nude. I've also been in this situation, and I feel less pure modeling in a swimsuit than with nothing. If you want to draw a person, learn to draw a whole person. If you cover up certain parts, you are essentially labeling them as "dirty bits." I've heard Christians say, "No one wants to see your _______" (fill in the offending body part). This attitude does not honor God's creation, and it does not honor your fellow human beings.

My views certainly echo those of FlamRatamacues. I've been a model for almost 27 years now. I am very active in my church, and, thanks to a national television appearance I had in 2001, almost everyone knows about my nude modeling. It's not a topic that comes up much, and I'm sure most people assume that nude modeling is a part of my past, rather than my past, present, and future.

I was in a class this past Monday night, and I spent most of the evening in a standing pose next to a skeleton. During my model breaks, the instructor would talk about the anatomy of the skeleton, and I got to looking at the pelvis and what a complex structure it is, especially compared to the rest of the skeleton. When trying to learn to draw that area of the body and all its intricacies, covering any part of it would certainly be detrimental to the learning process.

I've heard it said that, for one to learn to draw a clothed person, one needs to learn to draw that person without clothes, to understand the body beneath the clothes and capture how the clothing hangs on the body. I may buy that a little bit, but from my point of view, the nude body is deserving of study and capture in its own right. We, as humans, are created in both the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). Our bodies could be considered to be a self-portrait by the Almighty Creator, and as such, are not in any way shameful.

Its probably a good point. But theres just something about posing completely nude that I don't feel comfortable with as a christian. Its not to say that I won't bare it. I've done tons of shots with very little on, probably the closest I've got to nude is wet white bikini shots where I appeared practically nude but still left some to the imagination. For me it just doesn't feel comfortable to be completely naked but it doesn't mean that I won't go pretty close ;)
 
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mandyangel

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This thread is just what I was looking for. Because I am a writer, poet, as well as an artist I feel a conflict with my passion and with my christian faith. I love drawing nudes alot and do not deny that. I also do not think that the bible specifically condemnes such that kind of art, which also makes it hard to know what kind of nudes would be morally pleasing. In fact, if biblical erotica, such as Song of Solomon, may be found in the bible, then nudes cannot be that bad. I still would feel embarrassed to show such pictures, I have drawn, to certain people. What do you do with art that you enjoy creating, but are afraid of showing to someone?

Just show it off anyway. Who cares if they don't like it! Lots of people will appreciate it.
 
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NostalgicGranny

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1 Timothy 2:9-10 ESV

Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.

1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
 
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