My Husband has to draw a Nude woman for his University degree.

I've been a studio model in a major NYC art school and you're wrong; the human body is inherently sexual (that's why human beings exists and we're genetically hardwired to find sexuality and sensuality in everything). Being naked in front of clothed people is, of course, sexual and if you think art is "sterile" when it portrays the nude, you're definitely not an artist.

As for associating nudity with "sacredness", oh please. You've never even seen another naked human being? The human body is beautiful and your attitudes about it are anything but beautiful. You are imbued with bizarre ideas about sex, love, the human body, naturalness, health, and art. I'm repulsed, to be honest. Thoughts like yours are antiethetical to wellness, wholesomeness, and self-confidence (of which you are sorely lacking). Open up to the reality that human beings are beautiful, without or without clothes.

Where did you ever get the idea that nudity is shameful or even associated with sexuality? We're all naked and being uptight about your husband in a room full of art students and a nude women is the height of puritanical, negative, and non life-affirming close-mindedness. By the way, no way your husband doesn't fantasize about other women. The human brain is hard-wired to find attractive people sexually appealing. Nothing wrong with that.
Are you so lacking in self-confidence that you can't imagine him even thinking about the beauty of another human being?

Don't worry. I was an art major, let me tell you drawing nude models in art is NOT sexual at all. In fact is a very sterile environment. I know I took several years of life drawing and painting classes, most other fellow student and artist feel the same way.

In fact it would be more sexual if the model wore a bikini, as opposed to being nude. Because with a bikini the body becomes more objectified, when it is nude it becomes sterile and clinical. And the models are discouraged form doing any suggestive or sexy poses, its a very non-sexual environment.

Thank you both soo much! This has really helped, and while I can't seem to get rid of that gut feeling still. This is helping me look at all of this the right way. I am just getting it arround my head :)
thanks again.

Hi there,
I just wanted to let you know that I, from the age of 17 I had to paint and draw the nude figure and there is nothing sexy about it atall. I am a woman and I have been in mixed classes and the models are mostly fat or hairy or skinny or old or whatever...only ONCE was I in a class (in LA naturally) where the model was somewhat attractive with fake boobs and everyone just complained that she was all wrong for classical style drawing.
I really wouldn't worry. Art is SO not sexual unless you are sexually immature. Maybe for a 15 year old boy, there might be a thrill but I think, even for a teenager, after 10 minutes, it would still be about his drawing talents.
You should be happy that you have a guy who shares with you like Diane said. And also that you are with a gentleman. So many women are with men who use pornography and simply objectify the female body.
At most art classes, there is a big variety of male and female models and all sizes and shapes.
Also, the model undresses behind a screen so this removes any titillation with undressing.
Don't worry...all will be fine!

Anon,

I have been in a Life Drawing class myself. Let me tell you a little more about it.

It is not just your husband in the room with a nude man or woman. It is an entire group of students, all with large pads of paper and pencil or charcoal, who are seated usually in somewhat of a circle around the place where the model sits, stands or lies down.

Sometimes the model is asked by the teacher to switch positions every 30 seconds, and the students must do very quick drawings. Other times the model poses for as long as 20 or 30 minutes, and the students are asked to do more of an in-depth drawing.

This is the way that artists must learn to draw the human form. I imagine that your husband's class also included a skeleton, am I correct? Most Life Drawing classes introduce a scientific skeleton to the class, and many have them draw particular parts of it. This is how we learn to draw the bones. Then, through anatomy textbooks or life drawing, you learn to see where the muscles attach to those bones, what the perspective of the body is, and how light and shadow affect what you must draw.

I am a woman. In my class we also drew both men and women. I can tell you that after the very first moment, everything and everyone in the class is about the drawing. It is about things like this:

* OK, so that's how the neck leads into the jaw line.
* I have drawn these arms too long.
* That leg looks really weird. What am I doing wrong? Do I have my proportion off?

You are right in that it is a sacred experience. But it is a different sacred experience. In this sacred experience, one model -- a woman or a man, old or young, fat or thin, tall or short (and they come in all sizes and shapes, believe me) -- is sharing their body with a group of artists so that that group of artists can learn like Leonardo da Vinci did, like Michelangelo did, like thousands of years of artists before them did. That model is saying, in essence, to the students, "I understand that it is important to you to be able to get the human body right. I trust you to respect my space."

The nudity is only startling for the first minute or so of the first model. Then it becomes routine, and each student is MUCH more involved in how their drawing is going.

Please don't feel left out. There IS something intimate going on, but it is intimate in a room of 20 people in a way that dates back to the artists of old. It is the best way to learn how to draw the proportions, shapes and shadows of the human body. And it's not at all personal.

Be so happy and secure that your husband is wonderful, cares how you will see this and shares it with you. Give him the gift of not worrying about your reaction. A life drawing class can be a joy. Would you be interested in taking one? Many, many community centers and rec centers offer life drawing sessions.

Don't feel that his class is something you have to rationalize. Love him enough to look at his pictures with him, if he feels like sharing them. If he doesn't feel like sharing, that's OK too. (And if that happens, it just means he's self-conscious about his artwork, OK?)

The time you have to worry about someone is when they are NOT sharing their experiences or feelings with you. Your husband IS sharing, and it sounds like he is generous, thoughtful and very sensitive toward you. If I were you I would be so proud of him. Relax and understand what a good man he is and how little you have to be threatened by, OK?

Does this help a little?