Art has played a big part in Melissa Cacialli's life.
Everyone in her family has found a creative outlet, she said.However, her mother's work as a nude model not only taught her anappreciation of art but also the importance of the human body.
Because of her mother's influence, Cacialli, a graduate student,has dreamed of being a nude model since she was a child, shesaid.
"I've always wanted to," she said. "I see it as a privilege tohelp these students in their development."
Cacialli was able to realize her goal when she started workingas a nude model for the Department of Art two months ago.
Though some people might find working as a nude model daunting,Cacialli and the other models hired by Ball State Universityprovide a needed resource for art students.
The human body is the main subject art students study, LeahBrack, a junior art major, said, so having models is essential.
"It's such a complicated subject, and it's so difficult todraw," Brack said.
Nude models are also better than clothed models because clothingbecomes a distraction, she said.
"There's no exception for the human body," Cacialli said.
WHAT IT'S LIKE
Laura Jones*, a junior art major and model who is using thealias "Jones" to protect her identity, said the models turn intheir schedule to the art department secretary, who then e-mailsthem their work schedule every Friday.
The students usually work about two to three times a week and upto six to eight hours, Jones said.
Once the models are in the classes, their job depends on theprofessor and the students.
"You're there for their needs," Jones said.
Depending on what class they're working with, models will holdposes from 20 to 40 minutes. Jones said she usually holds a sittingposition for 20 minutes and lying positions for 30 minutes.However, Cacialli, who always works for a sophomore level class,usually holds two 40-minute poses per class.
Both Jones and Cacialli said they never have problems workingwith the classes.
"They're very professional about it," Jones said. "Everyonehandles it with a lot of maturity."
Most students have been trained to view the human bodydifferently than other people, Cacialli said.
"Art students don't see you as a body; they see you as lines,"she said.
Brack said the only time drawing a nude model was awkward washer first time doing so.
However, she only needed two hours before it felt normal, shesaid.
Most art students are also more interested in getting practicethan about someone's looks.
The first time Cacialli modeled, the class was excited becausethey did not have a model until her, she said.
"I think they appreciate it because who wants to draw a bowl offruit?" she said.
The professors also help the models to feel comfortable bykeeping the area clean and keeping the temperature at a good level,Jones said.
THE CONS
Despite help from professors, nude models do experience somediscomfort.
Models usually set up their poses on a platform with a thinlayer of carpet on it. The longer they hold their poses, the moreuncomfortable the platform becomes, Jones said.
Holding certain poses also causes problems for the models.
"Some poses are just horrible," Jones said. "Any time you putweight on one area of the body it starts to go to sleep."
She said although lying positions are usually preferred oversitting positions, they can hurt too if a model is laying on anarm.
Models are allowed to take breaks, although the breaks create adistraction for the students, Brack said.
However, Brack said she would rather have any model, no matterhow long they can hold a pose, than no model at all.
Lights are also pointed at the models, which can make it hot,Cacialli said. One of her worst days was when she came indehydrated, had the hiccups, and then had to sit under the lightsand hold a pose for 40 minutes, she said.
NERVOUSNESS
Though Cacialli said modeling doesn't make her shy anymore, shesaid body issues kept her from doing it during her undergraduateyears.
"When I was an undergrad, I was always like 'when I lose 10pounds,'" she said. "I finally got to the point where I wascomfortable with my own body."
Nude modeling has also helped Cacialli become more comfortablewith her body.
"I think it's a very liberating experience," Cacialli said.
Jones' experience with drawing nude models helped make modelingmore easy for her.
"Since I'm used to working with nude models, the whole ideadidn't really bother me," Jones said. "Not only am I a nude model,I have to see the nude models."
Despite her experience, Jones' first session was a littleawkward, she said.
"It's like confronting the dream everyone has of going to classnaked," Jones said.
Jones' experiences have helped her to be more sensitive to themodels when she is on the other side of the easel. She always keepstrack of the time in case the professor forgets to so models do nothave to hold a pose for longer than they are supposed to, shesaid.
Cacialli also thinks modeling provides a good experience forartists and feels all art students should model at least once, shesaid.
"It makes them understand what models go through," Caciallisaid.
For everyone else, Cacialli said modeling teaches an importantlesson.
"In art, you're not ugly; you're a piece of work," she said.
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