Working with a Live Model

Most people draw from photo references, but I encourage you – if you’re able – to drop into a life drawing group. It’s a particularly powerful collaboration between artist and subject, and it’s also a fun experience. A model I frequently work with, Ruth Bryan, describes it like this: “The focused attention and devotion of the artist to their work creates an environment where I am transformed. The artist and model create a container where time stretches and where the seer and the seen have a conversation about beauty.”

– Julette Aristides, Artists Magazine, Jan/Feb 2026