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recent
The sketch-blog you've all been waiting for. I'll let you try to figure out for yourself which of these sketches were done on the train and which were not.
There are always a couple things I wonder about regarding the nudie sketch club.
1) How much do the models get paid? In case anyone is under the impression that they are just girls off the street wanting to make an extra buck, I can assure you that is not the case. With the exception of a few, they tend to have very defined muscles. Not big like a body builder, but more that of a dancer, and in fact, many of them are dancers. Still, they are not simply dancers who pose nude for an extra buck. I don't know how hard it is actually if one is to spend at least some time practicing, but it is obviously not something anyone can do on a whim. Often they make a pose that most people I know can't even hold for 5 seconds, yet they hold it for 20 minutes. Then they take a break, and assume the exact same pose (usually with little margin of error) and hold it for 20 more minutes... and then one more break and one more pose.
I'm sure they have a stock set of poses they use often and practice, but at least one of the models has been there three times and I have not seen the same pose from ther twice. What I'm saying is basically that I have found that modeling is a real profession, and they have to practice it just as I have to practice programming.
So how much do they get paid? Today was the first session of the year, so we received the balance sheet from last year. There were 32 sessions and the total amount that went to modeling was 346,260 yen. I don't know if different models charge more than others, or if they are all just ordered through a modeling service that sends a different one each week, but average is about 10,000 yen per 3.5 hour session.
2) Another thing I often wonder is if I actually have the right to put my sketch of them on the web. I am 99% sure that it is "my" work so I have the rights, but it is still her likeness.. no matter how much it doesn't resemble her. I'm sure she would not appreciate if I whipped out my camera and started snapping shots for the web... (or for my own personal use for that matter) but why is a sketch any different? Should the model for Mona Lisa and her descendants get royalties?
My site has become a comment fest lately. Four whole comments on one post... that's a record for me. Of course they are all from people who were at the meeting for people who like to write thins on the web. One of the cementers (Ian) states
I think popularity contests are natural. People want to feel special, gain recognition by their peers. It's all about getting the cool kids to like you, just like high school.
This snippet is taken out of context, but that's how I want it. Because I am not actually commenting on what he said so much as using it as a springboard to mention what I thought when I read it... and what I thought is probably only of interest to about .005% of my readers, but I'll write it anyway.
Maybe part of the reason I am considered cold and anti-social (probably only by myself) may be that I almost never had that "trying to be in the cool group" urge which should probably build the social skill of shmoozing and flattery. Sure I remember feeling how I wanted to be cool in my sophomore year of high-school, but is the only time I can think of. Not that I am such a mature person to realize that I am special no matter what anyone else thinks, but rather because I never had to worry about that.
Was I so cool that I didn't have to worry? Nope. I went to a grade school (k-8) with only twelve people in my class. Everyone was cool. My freshman year was the first time i was thrown in with so many people... and that was only about 70. I didn't know what was what about being cool or trying to be cool when I was in 9th grade. In 10th grade it became clear, and by 11th grade I had trivialized everything we all did so much that it didn't matter. Since high school, most of the things I have done have been centered around small groups where there aren't enough people to have popular and unpopular groups. Both trips to Japan had only 10-20 students in the "group", while at University I already had my "main" friends right along with me so there was no need to worry about finding a group to fit in with... Anyone outside my "group" was a bonus but nothing to obsess about.
What does all that have to do with anything? not much, I was just thinking about how again, writing this, my readership is pretty much decided. It is mainly for people who I know. I don't mind people I don't know reading, but I feel no need whatsoever to advertise... in fact, the thought of too many people I don't know yet, but may meet someday scares me a little. Oh well.
Not to pick on Ian, but one thing he said at the meeting has stuck with me. "You have a Japanese girlfriend, right?" ... or maybe it was "Do you have a Japanese girlfriend?" Anyway, when I said yes, his reply was something to the extent of "I knew it", or "I thought so".
That's a downer. It used to be an issue for both me and Tomoe... living with the stigma / serotype of the looser foreigner who comes to Japan to get a desperate-air-head-Japanese-waif-with-a-fourteen-year-old-maturity-level who has dreams of living in America with a tall foreigner. Both walk around the city wearing the other like a badge.
When someone says something like that, I feel funny... I don't mind so much if they think that I am a looser who can't get a girl anywhere else (maybe I am), but (in my mind) it implies that Tomoe is an airhead-desperate-Japanese-waif-with-a-fourteen-year-old-maturity-level dreaming of living in America with a tall foreigner. I could give all the examples and proof why she is not, but that would open an ugly chapter and somewhat validate the stereotype.
DISCLAIMER: I'm not saying that Ian was implying all that... It's all in the imagination of the insecure Kevin who obsesses... luckily I am usually the trivializer Kevin.
a few things toady:
1. I wrote a comment yesterday that never showed up. I'm convinced it couldn't have disappeared due to operator error, so it must be your fault. And I'm too lazy to try to remember what I wrote. Unfortunatly, you missed out on another dose of my intelligent and humorous input.
2. Did you really sketch those nudie people on the train?
3. Where is the link to the photographs of the nudie model?
4. Yesterdays photos were great. Where 'exactly' were you when you took them (helicopter ride to work, bedroom of high-rise penthouse, etc.)
Yea, you posted pics of you and her on the website so I was just curious.
Believe it or not I can completely sympthize with your reaction, based on my own experience. Even when we experienced open racism my opinion was "as long as we're happy and who I care about is not harmed, f--k* what other people think". I think it's a healthy attitude. You can't get some people to change their sterotypes, but probably not all of them.
(*THIS POST WAS EDITED BY KEVIN FOR MOMMY'S EYES I don't want to censor anyone, but please try to refrain if possible... I find in most cases I can substitute the word "frick" --Kevin 03/01/18)
The photos from yesterday are taken from a client's office restroom window in Shibuya skyskraper.
Uh your email is "fricked" up, I got a rejection notice. I don't mind being censored though, cursing is a crutch for weak writing anyway.
Uh... just what were you doing with a camera in the restroom? Do you have some 'alternate' website that you're posting 'alternate' pictures on to generate some extra income?
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