Children in nude figure classes [AD]

[Errol McGillivray]

I'd prefer if we discuss this in AD.

AD thread is here.

I have nude art in my apartment and I make no attempt to hide any of it when people bring their kids over. I'd had a couple of people complain, but not many. If I had my own children, I would have no problem whatsoever with them working on live studies or being around while I work with a model. (Provided they are quiet, unless asking a question or something).

The first half of my comics class is live figure study. We had a 13 year old boy in the class. I was quite proud of his mother when she dropped him off. He's going to have an edge on nearly every other art student he'll encounter for the rest of his life. About 4 years ago, I was tutoring a girl and her mother refused to let her work on nude figures. "She's never even SEEN a p***s!" (Not true, but I wasn't about to ruin a mother's fantasy). I think this girl would have had a major advantage and would be much further now, had she started figure work 4 years ago and not just now that she's in college.

I actually had students in my classes in college who opted out of the nude studies. There was a clear difference between their work and the work of the rest of the class.

What do you think about children taking live nude figure studies?
What age do you think is too low (if any)?
Most important: Why do you believe this? What information/beliefs validate your opinion?
Do you think fear comes into play with issues like these? Fear of what?  

[Folken_Schezar]

i don't see what the big deal is. its not like you have playboys laying about. i believe because of America's puritan origins, we have problems with a distinction between sexual nudity and non sexual nudity. i'd guess about 13 or so sounds about right.anything younger then that would in most cases be a waste of time. its usually around that age one starts to become serious about stuff. i'm much older and when i was younger there was never an issue with me going to figure drawing classes that had nude models. but this was pretty soon after the 70's it wasn't the 90s that stranger danger and people started to tighten they're grips around kids. as long as they're serious about it i don;t think it should matter. if you have a prolem with your kids seeing that n***s you shouldn't let them take the class at all. sign them up for pottery or soemthing  

[Ren-wuvs-you]

Well live nude figures study for young people in general should be approached in the proper manor.

If your going to be up and naked don't just stand their for all the world to see. I believe in props in the certain circumstance when needed.

If someone is too young (based more on maturity level not age) yet they want to take the class. Make it more appropriate. ex. Breasts and butt would be the limit for most people in general. So posing the model in a way to be artisic and show anatomy would be helpful. ex. famous picture of the goddess venus.  

[thug to the limit]

Ren_Tenjo

Well live nude figures study for young people in general should be approached in the proper manor.

If your going to be up and naked don't just stand their for all the world to see. I believe in props in the certain circumstance when needed.

If someone is too young (based more on maturity level not age) yet they want to take the class. Make it more appropriate. ex. Breasts and butt would be the limit for most people in general. So posing the model in a way to be artisic and show anatomy would be helpful. ex. famous picture of the goddess venus.

If they are to young in maturity, then the parent is the one who should control their child, not the model. The session is meant to be nude, then just because billybob is immature is not a valid reason for the model to cover. That is more the sign that they shouldn't be in the class in the first place. I also argue not the but and breast would not be the limit to most, I have been to many nude drawing sessions and what I learned was as long as the pose was not uncomfortable, or would cause the model pain, there is really no limit to the pose.
To me this is just an extension to the crap people complain about when studying the human body, especially that of the opposite sex comes into play for the young.  

[EmmaLee2794]

I believe that parents don't want "young" (below the age of 10) children to see any part of the naked body, because they believe that their child will go out, "representing" their parents. And the parents are afraid to look like they taught their child about sex, and "take away their innocence." I live with my grandmother, I know this is how most parents think. I'm almost 17, and i'm not allowed to study any part of he nude body. (well.. not where she can see..) My grandmother is "old-fashioned." she believes its wrong to expose genitial areas to anyone but your spouse. I believe that religion plays a big role in not partaking of the nude body. It's fact. In the Christian Bible, adam and eve grew ashamed of their nude body, and wore clothes. And that's the honest fact. Most dont approve of a nude anything, because they are ashamed.

I believe that if children are going to be taking a live nude figure study, they need to be prepared before hand about what will happen, and be assessed if they're ready for it.
I believe that lower than six is far to young. A child needs time to be able to comprehend, and fully undersstand.