The Daily O’Collegian

The drop of her bathrobe doesn’t shock these students

She walked in the room in nothing but a blue bathrobe.

When she reached the center of the group of about 20 people, she untied the robe and dropped it on the floor, baring all.

However, no one gasped or seemed surprised. Instead they observed her curves and started drawing.

These people were art students drawing a nude figure for Life Drawing, an upper-level art class. The model was former OSU student Kelsey Brooks.

Brooks decided to be a model a year ago. At that time, she was a graphic design student, and she saw a flier for models one day and thought she would give it a shot.

“I understand they have to draw the body or form in some way, and it’s my way of helping,” she said.

The models get paid $12 an hour so it was also a good way to make extra spending money, Brooks said.

Brooks said her first time modeling was uncomfortable and awkward, but she got over it.

She said the most difficult part was being naked in front of people she didn’t know, but art students don’t really see it as nudity.

“It’s apparent that students at this level have to do it and are mature enough that they aren’t going to be like ‘oh hee hee, she’s naked,’” Brooks said.

After a year, Brooks said the most difficult part is holding back from scratching or relieving the pain in her foot if she’s been in one position for a long time.

Brooks was shy in high school and she said her mother, Jody Brooks, was surprised when she told her that she wanted to be a nude model for an art class.

However, Jody Brooks said this was more because of her daughter’s personality.

“I didn’t have any hang-ups for her modeling nude for an art class,” she said. “I was a little surprised because she’s always been a little shy and a little quiet, but I was pleased because I thought she had made a breakthrough and was overcoming her shyness.”

Jody Brooks said she wasn’t worried about Kelsey’s safety because the art department takes precautions to ensure that nothing inappropriate happens with the models in or out of class.

“I was actually more upset when Kelsey got tattoos because those don’t go away,” she said.

Hali Linn is a studio art senior enrolled in Life Drawing. She said the class is a little uncomfortable for first-time students.

“The first 10 minutes of the first class is a little difficult, especially if the model is new to the gig,” Linn said. “After the first 10 minutes of the first class, students have forgotten any awkward feelings they had before the class because they have become observers and recorders, no longer giggly art students in a room with a naked person.”

Linn said she believes it is important for art students to draw the human figure because the human form is something we come into contact with every day.

Jack Titus, an associate professor of art and instructor of Life Drawing, said it is important for art students to be able to draw the human figure.

He said the human form plays an important role in art history and is the most complex, demanding subject that artists encounter.

“Just look through any art history book,” Titus said. “Human form has been the most prominent subject matter for artists in all cultures and ages.”

Titus said he still uses the human form.

“Those of us who are teaching typically are using human form in our own art,” he said.

In the past, people of different majors and backgrounds have modeled, but usually the people who model have had some experience with it, Titus said.

One model’s brother and father were artists so she had been exposed to this kind of work, Titus said.

Titus said some of the best models he had several years ago were members of OSU’s cross country team. He said they were good because they had the endurance to hold one position for a long time.

Still, Jody Brooks said that modeling for art classes is only for certain people.

“I don’t think it’s for everybody. I wouldn’t do it,” she said. “It’s Kelsey’s choice. I think she’s an adult and it is her decision.”

Kelsey Brooks said she thinks people probably have misconceptions about nude models.

“People outside might think the models are a little promiscuous or slutty because they might think, ‘Oh, she’ll take her clothes off for anything,’” she said.

However, Linn said this is not true.

“Because of the environment and professional attitude of the professor, models and students, the class is not as awkward as people would think,” she said. “For artists, it is necessary in the learning process to study the human form and I think that with this requirement comes responsibility.”