What Is a Figure Model and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

A figure model, also known as a nude model or art model, assists art students who are learning to draw the human form. You carry out your duties in an art class, and your responsibilities are to pose nude and remain still as students draw what they see. This form of art is similar to still life drawing but using people as the subject. Figure model positions are usually on a contract basis, paying by the hour or per diem. Each assignment may last between one and several hours, depending on how long the class is and how detailed they need to make their drawings.

There are no formal qualifications necessary to become a figure model. Art instructors may look for models with a specific height and weight range or body type, but there are opportunities for every body type. You also need to feel comfortable in front of a group of strangers wearing little to no clothing, have the ability to sit still for long periods of time, and have excellent listening skills to follow directions from an instructor. You can find these jobs using local job listings, with community centers that offer art classes, or with community colleges or universities with an art program.