Naked people. Six hours of naked people.

Graduate school provides the opportunity to do things you haven't done before. You learn and grow from these experiences, thus enriching your educational experience. I myself have traveled three times overseas on the dime of the Beatrix Farrand fund, among countless parties, receptions, conferences, sponsored field and professional office visits.

Graduate school will also pay for nude models.

For the next two weeks, a nude model will visit my landscape drawing class and we will utilize her/him for three hours. There will be breaks. Apparently, nude models are traditionally given a five minute break for every 20 minutes of work performed. That means, collectively over two weeks, almost 70-80 minutes of breaks for the nekkid one while we gawk, stare and try to pretend we are only mildly amused.

Monday will begin with a female model. Our professor Chip claims that women are "easier to draw." I wonder what that means. He claims men are "difficult." I would like to know more details about that one.



Having never been in a class with a nude model, I have many questions about procedure, proximity, and expectations. I do hope this person is relatively in shape. Otherwise, I might as well just go hang out in the locker room of the Y with a tablet and charcoal. I am concerned about being too close that I may feel like I am staring.

My classmate Sara, who has taken figure drawing classes before, assured me that while it IS weird, you quickly acclimate to the environment. However, she told me that she's seen it all in terms of models, including a man who appeared to have visible STD symptoms. Ouch.

Oh, we were told that all cell phones will be collected into a box when we enter the classroom as a safeguard against unauthorized photos being taken. Also, there will not be drinking allowed that night in class (which goes against normal operating procedures). Wish us luck. And above all, wish us virile, attractive models!