Maudlin Modellin'

[shanmonster]

I didn't get to show off my Hung Gar skills for the drawing class today. The poses were just a bit too long for me to maintain a perfectly still stance. Someday, I'd love to be able to stand in a low horse stance without any shaking for ten minutes or more, but I'm not there yet. So instead, I held a fighting stance for ten minutes, with my left arm extended in front of me, hand closed in a tight fist. By the six-minute mark, my biceps (already sore from yesterday's stability ball class) were screaming at me.

Several of the students were quizzing me about kung fu, and told me they really like drawing me in those stances. I'll try going through a different form every week. Next class, maybe I'll do fook fu. And after that, gung gee. Maybe I'll even do some sword and staff work. We shall see.

Anyhow, when the ten minutes were up, I slapped the hell out of my throbbing left bicep and settled down into an easier pose for a rest.

I'm glad that's over, but I model again first thing in the morning.

Comments

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

It can be a good way to work out, but it can be damaging. I don't think there's anything too healthy about holding poses in excess of an hour. All that happens is a whole lot of bruising and some serious loss of circulation.

I do think that figure modelling is an excellent way for someone to learn more about their balance and control.

[uber-wench.livejournal.com]

I've gotten compression bruises and injured myself while modelling because a teacher left me in a pose too long. It can hurt.

[ambitious-wench.livejournal.com]

Having done my share of artist modeling, I *know* on a muscular level just what you are talking about. Don't they do quick warm-up sketches? 30 second poses or so? Me, I like doing active poses for those, based on my long-ago ballet lessons. But anything more than 10 minutes, and I only do reclinging poses. That's one of the advantages of being 45 years old, I can claim weary bones and aching muscles.

Edie

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

For most classes, they have warm-up poses. This was a bit of a specialty class, though, and it was ten-minute poses for the whole three hours. I don't mind that. I was going to do one reclining pose, but they opted for something more dynamic today. We'll see what happens tomorrow. I'll be working with second-year students, and the class will almost surely be larger.

[uber-wench.livejournal.com]

I love the warm-up sketches and treat them the same way. If a pose is more than half an hour, I sit or recline.