Earning money as a life model

What does it imply and is it for me?

First of all, you need to decide if this is really for you – this matters whether you are squeamish with your body or not. Be aware that a group of complete strangers will stare at you for hours on end, while you are naked. Expect life shaping sessions to last around 3 hours, with a couple of breaks to rest.

One of the ironies of life shaping is that you are more likely to be in demand if you have an interesting or unique body shape (remember Lucian Freud’s ‘Sleeping Benefits Supervisor’?). Shaping life is about looking interesting rather than being beautiful or in tip-top shape. Don’t let paranoia about your appearance stop you.

However, you should be comfortable with both nudity and a certain amount of discomfort and boredom. You may also be asked to create your own poses – practice in front of the mirror, and if you are thinking about modeling life on a regular basis, consider taking some life modeling lessons yourself to get a feel for what art directors are up to. they may want. what do you do. It is also quite common to ask two models to pose together; You may be asked to pose with a member of the opposite sex, so honestly ask yourself how comfortable you are with the idea.

How much can i earn

Pay varies widely, but you can expect, on average, between £ 8 and £ 12 per hour.

Here’s a helpful breakdown of hourly rates for life models by country:

• London: £ 11.06
• Rest of England: £ 9.77
• Scotland: £ 8.48
• Wales: £ 7.80

These days life modeling is a professional occupation and most employers regard life models as employees; You will probably find that there is not a lot of cash paying work, so be prepared to have to work at PAYE and provide a national insurance number.

How do I start?

Your first port of call should be local art colleges and schools. Here are some contacts to get you started.

• The art academy
• Royal British Society of Sculptors – Contact them for a list of figure sculptors in your area
• The London Sketch Club – Contact them to offer their services to members

Be on the lookout for advertisements in store windows and local newspapers as well; Your local Gumtree may throw in life’s weird modeling work too, so check back every now and then. It may also be worth posting on Gumtree yourself indicating your availability to shape life.

There is also a very useful website, The Art Models Register (RAM), a kind of unofficial life models union, which features work across the country. All jobs are restricted to RAM members only, but membership only costs £ 31 per year, so it’s probably worth signing up if you’re having a hard time finding work elsewhere.

Being on the public list of RAM members could make a big difference. Some universities and private art groups will only employ RAM members and the Bare Facts model booking service for London also only supports RAM models. London applicants are required to audition at the Life Drawing Workshops in Holloway or Richmond, but RAM states that most applicants are accepted. Outside of London, you don’t need to audition, so you initially sign up as an associate member. Then once you’ve submitted two job tutor referrals, you can convert it to a full membership at any time, at no additional charge.

If you decide that life modeling isn’t entirely for you, there may be hand or foot modeling work available. See the ‘Hand Models 1’ and ‘Derek’s Hands’ websites for more information.

One for the girls …

Do you fancy a different bachelorette party? Why not mix the culture with a bit of mischief and book a drawing session with a male model? Yes, a nude male model!

There are many companies that will offer you a life drawing session for your last days of freedom. Many are very flexible and will adapt to your needs. Sessions last from one hour to 90 minutes and prices range from £ 65 to £ 100 per session or around £ 20 per person.

Most companies are also flexible with the location. You can organize it yourself in a hotel or in your own home, or they can organize it for you. Take a look at the henlifedrawing and hennites websites for ideas and more information.