I can say from my experience the best models I’ve worked with were amatuers or new to the profession. They were a little nervous too & that somehow helped me feel more at ease with a situation that was unfamiliar to me. I do know the one fellow artist I worked with (as a semi-nude model) had me at ease because we had a pre-existing friendship, so that made it easier to work with her.
My best work has resulted from smaller group sessions and some one-on-one work, fewer distractions and more focus.
Many of the art model ads I’ve seen are all too brief (don’t want to work with someone looking for something else other than being a model, if you know what I mean) So again I’m back to my comfort level of asking people I know and am comfortable around—-with occasional results.
I mostly draw and paint, which would require longer sitting times & probably multiple sessions, but affords the prospective model some degree of anonyminity, since I’m not photographing them.
I’m still hoping to hear more anecdotes from both sides of the situation, as I’d like to expand and diversify my portfolio, and would like to know how the experience has been for others———not just myself and other artists.
Plus I’m also thinking of finding an artist to work with again, since all these years later, I’m actually in much better shape than I thought I’d be, and I kind of want to celebrate that through art.