Real men, draw men

Das right! I said it!

It’s always amusing to me to walk into a life drawing session, see a male model, and then watch the procession of sour faced male artists slowly sneak out of the room; this is especially true with older male models. Why? WTF? You’re there to practice drawing from life, correct? What sort of fantasy world do you make art in that you only need to depict attractive, young women? Oh wait… never mind.

Hell I draw comics… let me say that again… C-O-M-I-C-S, and we’re vilified over the idea that all we draw are big breasted women (although they never mention how all the men are bodybuilder muscular types who are desexed— but that’s another rant); yet even we have to draw other people in our books. Next to babies, who better for a hero to save than an old man or woman?

I look forward to drawing all sorts of people. Mom always said the male body wasn’t the most pleasant thing to look at, so I love rendering out the gentle curve of a beautiful woman’s body. But it’s also a fun challenge to sketch someone who is past their prime, put on a few too many pounds, or just has a unique shape.

That said, the other night was a great challenge, as an older man was the model. He was barrel chested, had a face like a NY cabbie, with chicken legs. Know what? He was fantastic! This guy held poses with the best of em that are half his age. He brought props, from umbrellas, hats, golf clubs, an oar, even a cigar! He was a riot. He took up poses most dancers wouldn’t try to hold.

He did some standards, like sitting in a chair… 10min

Or sitting on the ground… 20 min.

He earned this sitting pose after the one he did seen in the drawing at bottom of the page… 30min

 

 

The last sketch is of a pose he did with a golf club, and he held it for 30 minutes; this guy earned every buck. He was priceless, and I learned a lot drawing him. From how the body changes, to the way it maintains balance with additional weight.

 

So next time you walk into a session, and the model isn’t the hope you had in mind when you went; shut up, sit down, and learn something.