Don't google image search "nude model."
June 24, 2012 4:15 PM   Subscribe

Where can I find photographs of nude models for figure-drawing practice and non-commercial artwork?

I want to draw some people, but I want them to be nude, so I can get used to how bodies work. I want 'natural' poses, mostly - not cheesecake. Bigger photographs are better than smaller ones, but I can deal with any size as long as it's big enough to make out the major topography.

This guy on Deviantart is perfect. (Warning: NSFW.) Lots of variety in the poses, many of them natural standing or sitting poses, posting explicitly for the purpose of being an artists' model.

I haven't found a comparable female model yet, after having sifted through a bunch of webcam poses.

So, other resources? Suggest it even if it's obvious - I'm new to this so I don't know about them!
posted by Kutsuwamushi to Media & Arts (12 answers total) 25 users marked this as a favorite
 
This athlete comparison series is great - it's not totally nude, but is a really useful reference for a wide range of both male and female athletes. I think it highlights some of the things that vary person-to-person (proportion, fat percentage, muscularity) really well.
posted by restless_nomad at 4:26 PM on June 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Something like this figure model reference for artists?
posted by stet at 4:43 PM on June 24, 2012


some pay sites might be of help


http://www.virtualpose.net/
http://www.female-anatomy-for-artist.com/
posted by 2manyusernames at 4:44 PM on June 24, 2012


DeviantArt's Stock category?
posted by MinusCelsius at 4:44 PM on June 24, 2012




Are there any life drawing classes or meetups near you? Because drawing bodies is different than drawing photographs, even if the photographs are of bodies. I found Bridgman's Complete Guide to Drawing from Life very helpful in terms of learning how the body works. There aren't any photographs, but it has lots of drawings of different parts of the body.
posted by Wordwoman at 4:56 PM on June 24, 2012


Fineart.sk is an excellemt paid service. I find most of my nude ref at deviant art, though. Check out some of the stock groups at dA, too. Many are themed for tasteful artist model type poses.
posted by xyzzy at 5:38 PM on June 24, 2012


Get a good book on the subject, and attend some life-drawing classes.

Also, get a mirror and draw yourself. This has the advantage of being free (I'm assuming you own a mirror). You can use two mirrors to reflect profile views of yourself.
posted by The River Ivel at 6:12 PM on June 24, 2012


These aren't nude (well, they're more than nude), but if you want to get a real feel for how the body works, you can try posemaniacs. Knowing the muscles underneath the skin really helps me.
posted by Lt. Bunny Wigglesworth at 7:41 PM on June 24, 2012


Response by poster: Just as a side note: I don't want to spend money, and I don't have a schedule that makes going to classes an option. I have taken a class that included drawing nude models before, so I know it's different.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 8:51 PM on June 24, 2012


Best answer: I don't think Posemaniacs is a great idea for learning anatomy because the "fleshy bits" of the 3D models don't move. For instance, there are poses where the female model is lying on her back and her breasts are still bolted onto her chest. They're just Poser models; you could get the same effect and have more control using DAZ|Studio and their free Vicki/Mike packages. But not terribly accurate. It's better for lighting or forced perspective reference once you already understand human anatomy.

I just dug through my dA account stock favorites and pulled out a few specific stock artists I've used:

SenshiStock's deviantART Gallery -- not nude, but wearing a nude dance leotard. Lots of awesome poses, very nicely done.

Nudes by PostcardsStock on deviantART -- old-timey out-of-copyright vintage erotica, but actually not cheesecake. A lot of the poses are stolen from classical works of art.

classical nudes by mjranum-stock on deviantART -- in addition to a ton of costumed poses, he has an excellent gallery of nude men and women in artistic repose or action.

skydancer-stock's deviantART gallery -- Loads of nudes, themed and unthemed, sorted by model.
posted by xyzzy at 8:52 PM on June 24, 2012 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Here's one I use when I practice my figures:

http://www.artsyposes.com/
posted by TrinsicWS at 6:04 AM on June 25, 2012 [1 favorite]


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