Lessons from Life Drawing

Upon attending the societies fair in first year, I was introduced to a branch of the Warwick Art Society which holds a life drawing session twice a week. This instantly appealed to me as I enjoyed life drawing while studying for my Art A Level, and I also thought it would be a great break from my studies. What I did not expect from the life drawing sessions, was the amount of inspiration and artistry that I would apply to my studies, which would ultimately shape the direction and focus area of my degree.

After attending several sessions once or twice a week, I fell in love with the relaxed yet respectful atmosphere of both the drawers and model. I also did not expect to leave the class with the sense of empowerment that I felt every week. After each class I found myself not only growing more confident in my drawing abilities, but, surprisingly, I gained more body confidence. Much like most great paintings of life models, I found the models I most liked to draw were those who had imperfections and oddities which ultimately made them unique and interesting muses. With this in mind, I would leave the classes feeling uplifted, and more confident in my own skin.

I wanted to use this opportunity to honour and pay homage to each and every one of mankind’s naked forms

Each week, I became more and more entranced by this often unspoken about and perhaps outdated art form, and the brilliant and brave models that would perform for us week in and week out, varying from students aged 20+ just like you and me, to women and men all of ages and sizes. When the opportunity arose in first year to do a creative project rather than a written assessment for a theatre module, I leapt at the chance to explore and investigate my new-found hobby and interest through an academic lens. I absolutely loved the assessment and interviewed some of the models from the session, and others from a class at home to explore the performance of the life model. For several centuries, life models have been undermined and their work as a model has not been truly acknowledged. However, after having spent several weeks looking and appreciating the stillness and artistic poses that these brilliant performers were able to hold for up to 30 minutes, I felt that this impression of the life model needed to be updated. They need to be celebrated rather than trivialized. I also wanted to use this opportunity to honour and pay homage to each and every one of mankind’s naked forms.

Life drawing has informed most aspects of my university life, both academic and recreational

After having gained so much from this assessment in first year, I found that this brilliant art form began to seep into many other aspects of my studies, in both the English and Theatre areas of my degree. I have recommended the society to many of my peers, for various reasons: as a creative outlet (outside of the Warwick Drama community), for body confidence reasons, and also just to have some relaxing headspace whilst on campus. I cannot recommend joining this often overlooked and under-discussed society enough, although its relatively quiet and intimate nature is arguably what makes it so special. This society has given me so much inspiration and taught me about art forms that have really sculpted and informed most aspects of my university life, both academic and recreational, and has even become one of the greatest influences on my dissertation. So, pop along on a Thursday evening, and fall in love with this memorable and expressive community.