Friday, October 28, 2011

100 Views...


I guess this is somewhat of a milestone.  I'll really be  happy at 1000 and when I get followers.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Liking ModelMayhem...


I'm beginning to enjoy the ModelMayhem site.  I've received some nice compliments and comments on the work I've posted and have received some nice feelers on possible upcoming photo shoots.  I just have to get my schedule in order and try to work some sessions out.  I've resolved myself to having to trust some young, inexperienced, photographers to take a chance with an older, inexperienced model.  Hopefully we can mutually benefit each other with building our portfolios.  I need some new pictures...

Figure drawing class...


Tuesday was a good day.  I finally got my chance to model for Wesleyan College's fall semester figure drawing class.  six students, all very young, female, and very inexperienced, attended the class.  They got the chance to view a very middle-aged, very male, and very inexperienced model for the very first time.  I did a set of gesture poses and then three long, somewhat strenuous; 20-minute poses for the remainder of the session.  It's been a while since my last figure drawing session and afterwards I remembered the challenges of holding poses for any length of time.  Thank goodness for Advil.

The students were well behaved - no snickering, at least in front of me; and some of their work was quite good.  I wish I had asked if I could take some photos of their sketches to add to my portfolio but accounting that it was their first work with a live, male, model I didn't want to intrude on their work.  I will ask in two weeks, though, when  I pose for them again.  All in all it was a very good experience.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Mad at the printer...



I'm trying to build a nice, printed portfolio of my art and photography posing and purchased a Canon iP4820 to do some basic photo printing.  So far I'm not very pleased.  All my black and whites come out in sepia tones.  I want grays and blacks not browns and amber.  GRRRRRR...  If someone knows what might be the issue please let me know.  It would make me happy.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Marketing pays off...


Two local galleries were having shows of local talent and I was able to get some marketing done.  The first I hit was Arts and the Avenue.  It was my first time at this gallery and I spoke with the owner for quite some time about my modeling.  She didn't appear overly enthusiastic about upcoming possibilities but she agreed to take some of my business cards to pass on to some local artists.  I dropped them off this morning with a copy of my resume.

The second gallery, Middle Georgia Arts Association, was where I posed earlier this year.  I met with Mae, association president, and Glenda, board of directors, and our re-meet was very pleasant and enthusiastic.  Glenda's painting is above.  Glenda was very positive and said they would use me in the new year once they get their schedule up.  Also she passed my name to an Atlanta artist who does figure work and was very supportive.  Things may begin to look up.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Should this be a business...



I have fallen in love with modeling.  I enjoy the challenge, the discipline, and the liberation it brings. The money it brings has been scarce and limited but it usually pays for gas up to Atlanta, when I pose there, or it brings me a nice dinner out on the weekend with my wife.  But that's not why I do it.

I do it for the personal satisfaction.  The quandary, though, is that in order for me to succeed I know I have to market myself.  I have built a resume, garnered several references, and decided to create a marketing plan.  It seems counter to art.  But I believe that in order for me to become more desirable as an art model, both in photo and canvas, its something I have to do.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Model Mayhem



I began a profile on the ModelMayhem site to see if it would generate any modeling business for me.  As you can tell I'm not anything close to a glamor model, more in the lines of an art model.  There have been a few nibbles and I may get some time posing for photographers in the area.  My school, work, and personal life schedules are a bit of a roadblock right now but that will soon change.

One thing I have to get used to, though, (just like on blogger) is having my nude photos show up online.  I'm not ashamed of what I do but it's something that many in my circle may not understand.  So far no one I don't want to see them has.  I guess it's just a matter of time though.  We'll wait and see.

Monday, October 17, 2011

It's Not Easy.....



Two things, not easy, I have discovered in my short endeavor as an art model are 1.  posing is quite  difficult to do and 2.  getting posing jobs in a small town environment is a challenge.  Luckily Wesleyan College is just down the road and I've got a job there three weeks straight Oct-Nov and Atlanta is just up the road.  The Atlanta Artists Center has given me some costumed opportunities throughout the past year and I have a session scheduled in Dec.  And there's a chance I'll get a figure drawing job this winter/spring at AAC also.  Things may be picking up.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Fear is a great motivator...






My favorite show that I performed in was Lillian Hellman's Little Foxes.  I was on stage with some of Macon's finest local actors and I was scared to death about screwing up the production.  The role of Ben Hubbard was by far the most challenging role I had taken on.  It was actually a lead character.  My fear of making everyone look bad forced me to work harder than I had ever done before, and in the end it was my finest performance and my most rewarding next to Dave Butkatinsky in the Full Monte.

Posing is much the same.   I have much anxiety before I get on the pedestal to pose for a group or art class.  I truly do not want the artist experience to be a bad one.  This upcoming week I'll be doing a lot of work to make sure I get it right.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Razor Burn....



Razor burn...or rather wax burn.  My wife knew I was in for a treat when I told her i wanted to try a male Brazilian wax, or Brozilian as some say.  I had been shaving the undercarriage for quite a while to keep the area nice and trim.  I felt more comfortable with the neatness during posing sessions.  And I found it helps with hygiene issues after workouts.  I never shaved completely for fear of nasty razor burns and bumps.

I went to my first waxing and after being warned of unbearable pain and watching the 40 Year Old Virgin I was very anxious.  I was surprised.  It wasn't bad - other than being exposed in precarious positions by a stranger for about one hour.  I experienced no soreness or redness immediately after and thought I had clear sailing.  On about the fifth day, however, tender bumps and red spots have appeared.  And they are a bit itchy.  Hope they clar up before my next art class posing in two weeks.  Any help on how to deal with this little problem will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Wish I had Time


Wish I had more time to do the things I love.  It's been six months since my last show at the theater and it's been three months since my last pose session.  Between work, school and kids it sometimes gets difficult to perform.  It won't be long until school is over - nine months; until daughter is graduated - 21 months; and until work is finished - about three years.  After that all bets are off.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Starting up again....



I didn't realize how difficult it would be writing blog nor did I realize what a challenge it would be starting posing after a three month absence.  I recently was called by Wesleyan College to pose for their fall semester figure drawing class.  I start Oct 25.  The last work I did was for a young photographer, Amy Maddox, for a photo session.  It was my first in front of a camera and it was her first nude shoot.  I guess for both our firsts the results the results weren't too bad.  But I realize I have a lot of room for improvement.

I'm very excited about the upcoming figure drawing sessions at Wesleyan, though I've got a lot of prep work to do.  I'm definitely out of pose shape.  The good bit is that I've got two weeks before I start and I can get some good practice in and work up my stamina.