Sculpted model poses for art
Model Charlie D poses in little to no clothing for assignments with artistic merit. • Photo by Gun of shotsbygun
By Tom Victoria
Charlie D's body is such a work of art that painters use him as a life model — one who poses in the nude.
The 33-year-old Australian model views his work as art. He accepts assignments from painters and photographers in which there is a creative purpose to wear sparse or no apparel.
Photo by Benton Parry
"Being a model means you are an artist," Charlie said. "Your body is your medium. If it can be justified creatively, I'll give it a go. The thing you need to accept is there won’t always be artistic value, or at least perceived artistic value. The nude is wonderful because it’s democratic. Anyone with a body can use it in art. But this means the art doesn’t always land or speak the way it’s intended to, even more so if you are modeling for someone else. It’s the risk you take. If you’re not comfortable with that, then it’s best to avoid it.”
Among Charlie’s plethora of modeling work is posing nude and with a variety of clothing and accoutrements, looking like the statue of a Greek god come to life.
He said the allure of nude paintings has multiple layers.
"I think there's something primal," Charlie said. “The nude is alluring because it's a timeless state of being, so much of how we dress and present ourselves is of the moment or of our time. The nude reaches through history. We are the same organisms we have been for thousands of years and will be to come. It's relatable and universal. Everyone has a body and can relate to a body. Also, when we have nothing left on us to disguise ourselves in or hide behind there is a sense of liberation.”
He stressed the only thing limiting any person from nude modeling is potential discomfort.
Charlie started modeling when he was an art student. • Photo by Gun of shotsbygun
“I think the beauty of it is anyone, no matter age or body type, is perfect to model nude,” Charlie said. “The more variety and range out there, the better. The only thing that would stop you are factors around how you would feel once the images are in the world. If you would feel deep shame or lose your loved job over it, it might not be for you, and that's also fine.”
He maintains his phenomenal physique by working out, more for health than image.
“I try to ride my bike as much as possible, going to and from work makes this pretty easy,” Charlie said. “And I do weights and use some of the machines at the gym. I try and go for an hour at least five times a week.”
Charlie maintains his physique by working out. • Photo by Gun of shotsbygun
He also played Australian football, rides horseback and runs.
Charlie started nude modeling roughly a decade ago as an art student. Initially refusing a request to pose nude, he reconsidered from the perspective of being a painter.
“I can’t ask others to do what I won’t,” Charlie said about the ethics of the situation. “It’s not acceptable to put others in a position to do something you wouldn’t do.”
Charlie explained being a painter helps him be a better model.
“I think being able to visualize a pose or understand an idea helps to interpret it,” he said. “Also knowing the history of the nude and representations of the body gives you confidence to try different things.”
Photo by Wyatt Cole
Charlie also is a photographer.
“It makes you stop to consider things,” he said. “It makes you focus. It makes you see.”
Charlie even combines both ends of modeling.
“I start using myself as art,” he said. “You’ve got to be vulnerable.”
Charlie said the model and painter or photographer have to work together as part of the creative process.
“It’s always a collaborative process,” he said. “You have to be receptive and listen.”
The link to Charlie's Instagram account, which includes explicit artwork: https://www.instagram.com/charlie_dee88/
Charlie, who also is a painter and photographer, collaborates to create art. • Photo by Joel Devereux