I enjoy life drawing, and have done it regularly on and off (at the most recent place I was doing it I went almost every week for several months, until they removed the couch in the room (I was told someone had got sick on it) and only left hard chairs to sit on :().

I like drawing both women and men. I like working with more male models than female models - some female models are great, but others seem almost doll-like with their carefully sculpted and perfectly smooth bodies, and their oversexualised poses. I prefer working with older models - younger ones are, for me, harder to capture because their bodies seem to have less 'personality', and they seem to move and pose more stiffly and awkwardly.

I used to enthusiastically participate in Doctor Sketchy events in the city I lived in - they were hilarious. Each evening had a theme - I think I remember the Game of Thrones night most fondly - models, of both sexes and every size and type, would dress up per the theme and pose individually or in groups. We'd all have a pint or two, and play music, and have a great time getting into the theme. At the end of the evening the models would pick the images they liked best, and the 'winner' would get lollipops or something as a prize. Since then I've moved to a different city, which also has Doctor Sketchy events - or had, I just looked them up and it's probably not going on any more, possibly due to covid, possibly due to their take on the events. I went to one of their events, before moving here, and it had such a different feel. All of the models were female, and all wore burlesque costumes. It was more of a 'show', with the burlesque performers doing their dances and moves between poses. It felt really icky, and I didn't enjoy the 'entertainment' or drawing the models.

Does anyone have any thoughts on feminist life drawing, if there is such a thing? How do you find models and situations that work best for you? What would be an ideal setup for you, with clothed or unclothed models?