The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-12-02
BOYS AND GIRLS AS MODELS.
Mites of Humanity Who Pose as Subjects
for the Artists Pencil.


for the Artists Pencil.
From the New York MALL
There are several hundred persons
in this city whose business it is to sit
as models for artists. Young girls who
are particularly beautiful are engaged
every day in the year, and many earn
from $1.5 to 81 day. They must
keep still for hours, and often stand or
kneel in tiresome positions while pre-
serving their gracefulness. An artist
who has a handsome studio uptown
was visited by reporter for the Mail
and Express. He was found drawing
designs for Christmas cards. A small,
blonde haired boy, half naked, was sit
ting in small chair made fast on
table, which is called by painters
throne. His mother, a handsome wom-
an of twenty-five years, stood near the
throne with pair of reins tied round
her waist, the other end of which the
little cherub held in his hands.
What is the purpose of this arrange
m ent ?" asked the reporter.
"Don't you see?" said the artist.
1--WE make the little fellow think that
his mamma is a horse, and that he
drives her. 1 have to keep two things
in mind-frst, to make the picture;
second, to amuse the boy. That is not
80 easy task as it might seem. At
first, perhaps, during the first sitting,
L only play with the child or get his
mother or brother or sister to play with
him, until l see some pretty or natural
movement. or catch some striking ex
preston on his face.
"He does not look particularly pleased
at present" the reporter remarked.
"When wish to see him laugh" re-
joined the artist, Il request his mother
to caper around like wild horse.
Sometimes she must make car horse
of herself, and stop every moment and
let him take up passengers, and when
ever she stops / get good chance to
put in some good touch"
Don't many of the artists paint out
of their heads, so to speak,"
mo artist who does not paint or
draw from life, az painting from models
is called, ever gives his picture look
of reality. We may be able TO paint a
marble floor from a small piece of
marble, or brocade dress from yard
or two of the material; but even to do
this we must have made studies of
large surfaces of marble when oppor-
tunity has offered, and we must spend
several days studying the folds of
drapery in n dress worn by living
model before the special material of
the brocade can be copied into it."
"How do you procure your models ?"
There is no difficulty in obtaining
any material or substance, for we can
get at any time at least a piece of it.
But the most important OF all things
that can be painted or drawn are the
forms and faces of men, women, and
children, and for that purpose we must
employ people to pose for us. AS a
rule the models form caste, and are
usually known to eack other"
"How old are your youngest mod,
els?"
Some begin to sit when they are
mere babies. L have often wished that
some rich children could see how pa
tient these little ones can be when they
understand that they are earning money
to buy food and clothes. There is q
little girl who lives in tenement house
on the West Side who is very proud to
sit for me. make a chalk-mark on
the throne where her little feet should
go, and she will carefully keep on the
mark. She has few minutes for rest
at intervals during each hour, and 6
long rest at dinner time, but she will
keep very quiet while 1 am working
and not move without leave"
what other expedients do you resort
to in order to keep the children models
quiet?"
Patience will accomplish almost any
thing. L have little boy who found {
stuffed bird in my studio, and he is al
ways quite happy for an hour if le
him play with it.