The nude models of today, and the nude models of the past, have been motivated by primal factors. This is not to say that they were, or are, motivated by sex. A nude model's underlying reason for posing nude might be to gain approval from their peers, elders, and juniors for their bodies. They are the type of people who get a rush from shedding their clothes, but prefer to do so in a controlled environment. Again, this is a conclusion drawn from my interviews with two nude models.
Today, nude models usually adhere to a number of rules and regulations, all of which vary upon the setting. College art programs especially have a large number of regulations regarding nudity. In some art classes, the only person allowed to talk to the model is the professor, while in others it is alright for everyone to talk to the model. In most cases, the model is in control of room temperature, breaks, and other aspects, such as choosing the poses. Usually, the professor will tell the model to hold a ten-minute pose to start with, and then they will move on to longer durations of posing. There are often restrictions and guidelines which must be followed when working with a nude model, especially in the case of poses involving "full frontal nudity" which includes genitalia, regardless of the model’s sex.
Presently, there are few restrictions on the sex of the model in relation to the sexual make-up of the classroom. In some programs and in countries outside the US, if a male model becomes aroused, he can be fired on the spot. Sometime when more than one nude model is used, there are differences as to whether models of the same or opposite sex are more appropriate. And as with all aspects of modeling, the nude models are expected to be professional enough to deal with a wide array of poses and scrutiny.
Nude models rarely wish to own copies of works derived from their nude selves, probably in the same way that many actors dislike watching themselves in movies. It’s too revealing. And nude models tend to lead fairly straight-laced lives. This is according to a generalization made by the two models I interviewed. But living in Oklahoma, I believe the mindsets are different than those of nude models in places like New York.
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