Comments for Cedric's Blog-O-Rama!

Comment on Scratch-N-Sniff by marge

marge — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:16:53 +0000

i like very much your work!!!!

Comment on Link: The Next Big Thing…Not! by deathisemo

deathisemo — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:23:00 +0000

Anyway…all art is too arrogant. Why should supplies and materials for any type of work be it film or children’s illustration cost over $5?

Comment on Link: The Next Big Thing…Not! by deathisemo

deathisemo — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:18:58 +0000

What about art students not even near graduating who want to take a swing against the big house studios such as Dreamworks or Pixar but don’t even have the credit required to take a bank loan to start their career owning a studio? If what they had to show you made you extremely envious even of them, would you join their self-delcared company?

Comment on National Cartoonists Day by zieglarf

zieglarf — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:30:47 +0000

I knew Cinco De Mayo was important somehow.

Comment on Misc. Links by Jon Thomson

Jon Thomson — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:09:40 +0000

Love the Animation Podcast. I’ve been listening to it over the past week. Those interviews are like gold. Thanks for the link!!!

Jon

Comment on Thoughts on Life Drawing by cedricstudio

cedricstudio — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:43:02 +0000

Kelly, thanks very much for your comments. I really respect you and your work and appreciate hearing your point of view. I’ll definitely give that some thought.

Also, I guess my comment about models being either hard up for cash or exhibitionists was a little harsh (I’ve added an “edit” to the post). I wasn’t trying to be snarky or insulting. If that’s how I came across, I apologize. I just don’t understand why someone would willingly disrobe in front of a room full of strangers. There may be very valid reasons, I just don’t understand it. But I’d be happy to have someone explain it to me.

Comment on Thoughts on Life Drawing by Kelly McNutt

Kelly McNutt — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:10:29 +0000

While I don’t see any reason that a life drawing session must be held in the nude, (after all, there are no laws saying one must be nude, and if one wanted to start a fully-clothed or partially-draped life-drawing cooperative, I’m sure it would do well) I don’t share the discomfort of the nudity. I think it’s all about context. I’m there to draw the human form - and as an animator, attempt to capture the attitude of the pose as well. I would rather NOT forget that I’m drawing an actual person. Why the need to dehumanize what you’re drawing? Nude? No problem. Clothed? Fine. I think the attitude on nudity is more a symptom of the problem that American culture at large has with nudity and how it must always equate to sex. Also, I’d argue that your question of “Besides, if it’s wrong to show nudity in public why is it ok if it’s art?” is a false argument. There are hundreds of reasons and rationales why public nudity is against the law ranging from sanitary (the world can be a dirty place, and clothes help keep out the dirt) to the safety (clothes also help to protect those more vulnerable bits from the environment and its constructs), where the publicly displayed artistic nude sculpture or painting represents more of what we all share in common: being human. And it tells a basic truth, that despite everything we arm ourselves with, be it race, religion, social status, political whim, when you strip it all away, we are all merely naked, vulnerable humans. One more thing, regarding your comment “The only reasons I can think of why someone would want to disrobe in front of a stranger (or in the case of a co-op, a room full of strangers) is (a) the model is extremely hard up for cash, or (b) the model has some form of exhibitionist tendencies.” I can’t even describe how offensive that remark is, as I have friends who have posed nude for artists’ groups or co-ops who did it for free, as they are neither hard up for cash (extremely or otherwise) and do not exhibit tendencies towards exhibitionism, unless you would consider outgoing, extroverted and loving personalities exhibitionist in nature. I’m willing to concede that in your ten years of life drawing you’ve probably encountered models that fit this description, as they statistically would have to show up after a while. But how fair is it to assume that of the model? Where you see a model that is either hard up for cash or an exhibitionist, I see someone who is brave enough and comfortable enough with themselves to be a nude model for furthering the artistic endeavor of others.

Then again, that’s just my opinion.

Comment on Thoughts on Life Drawing by Rick M

Rick M — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:22:13 +0000

I’m too young to be considered an old fuddy duddy prude, but I guess many people would still apply the terms to me! I have yet to attend a life model class, for the reasons you mentioned. And it’s nice to see a professional illustrator present the fuddy duddy side. I have heard the defense of this practice more times than I wanted to. Of course, my artwork might show my lack of anatomical understanding, but I think it’s due more to lack of practice than lack of life-model drawing I agree completely that class attendance would increase with the simple addition of a bathing suit or other minimal clothing. There’s a very funny episode of the Cosby Show that deals with this topic!!

Comment on Smart Money Blogs by sagmondia

sagmondia — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:47:13 +0000

Great information,thanx.

Comment on Thoughts on Life Drawing by Randy H

Randy H — Thu, 01 May 2008 02:12:46 +0000

Yeah, at the studio where I work we have “swimwear-clad” models for our drawing classes, and it works just fine.

I don’t really see anything inherently wrong with nude figure drawing, though. But I can understand the discomfort. I’m pretty much like you, Cedric, once I start drawing it’s all academic.

One thing I suggest is that the artist should get to know the person you’re drawing, so they aren’t simply an object or a stranger. It won’t take away the discomfort, really, but it does take the tawdry edge off the exercise.