What it’s like modelling naked for the first time.
It seemed like a natural progression. Growing up in a naturist family, I spent the majority of my youth naked – at home, in the garden, on holiday. So, when I reached 18 and was trying to save for university, life modelling seemed a quick and easy to make money.
Sitting down (naked) at home one morning between exams, I sent a short email out to the few local art colleges in the area. I detailed my age, height, sex and build, along with my background growing up in a naturist family and my enthusiasm to support art lessons.
And just a few hours later, I got a positive reply from one college! They’d had difficulty finding a model – particular difficulty finding a male model (which are apparently rarer!) and could I model for two classes tomorrow. I hastily and enthusiastically replied, and I was ready for my first modelling.
I was worried at first about telling my parents, but they were thrilled! My dad had studied art when he was younger, and was pleased that I was giving back to the artistic community (as well as sharing my naturism through work).
The next day, I got up early, showered and prepared for the class, packing a dressing gown and indoor shoes for the times between modelling. Getting a lift from my sister, I arrived early, before the start of the class at 9am, and found the classroom.
I was, suddenly and surprisingly, so nervous. Even for someone who had spent time with most of his friends in the nude, the thought of a classroom of eyes on my made my heart skip.
The teacher, however, immediately put me at ease. She introduced me, and showed me to a small changing room, filled with art materials, away from the students. As I stripped down and put on my gown, I immediately felt the cold of the November morning on my body.
Emerging into the large art room a few minutes later, I saw the classroom full of students, with a large raised block at the front of the class. Heaters were pointed at the block, and on it was a smaller block, covered in white sheets, where I would sit. To the side, a coat hook stood empty. The class looked at me, waiting for me to start.
I smiled nervously, before gingerly slipping the role off my body and onto the coat hook. Clambering naked and indelicately onto the block, I turned round to face the class. A small giggle ran around the room, as they encountered their first naked model, and I blushed from the attention.
“We’ll start with a few short poses – about 5 minutes each – and then we’ll do a long pose after. You can start by sitting down”, the teacher said.
I sat down and tried to get comfy, still aware of the eyes on my body.
“You can begin drawing, class!”
There was the sound of a scrabble of pencils on paper, as students enthusiastically started drawing my body. And soon my heart started to calm and I get used to the attention.
After a sitting pose, the teacher directed me to stand for the next one, and I dutifully took a new pose.
While I was worried about modelling at first, after a while it became quite relaxing and meditative. I was able to stop thinking about everyone looking at my body, and instead explored the room with eyes, occasionally managing to catch a glimpse of the young artists and see how they viewed me.
Even as a naturist, I was also still worried about my mind wondering and my hormones getting out of hand. There was one moment when I let myself slip, when suddenly the cold winter clouds outside parted and a sunbeam was thrown across the middle of my body. Suddenly, warmed by the sun, I grew and stiffened, pointing visibly towards the class. Another giggle spread across the classroom, I suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment overcome the sexual energy, and slowly blood drained away and my body relaxed again.
Ultimately, modelling was a great experience! And one that I’ve repeated many times since. It was amazing to see myself through someone else’s eyes, and to see how they interpreted my body and put it on paper. I found so much variation in the way I was drawn, and was interested in the different shapes that were used to represent me.
That’s what I became as a model – a series of shapes and lines. And it was exhilarating.
I still model many years later. And I still feel the flash of fear before I start.
But each time, I soon relax, enjoying the moment of quiet solitude I get from being naked in front of a class, revelling in the joy of handing over my body for a few hours to become just a simple form.
The Nude Academic 