Is this rude or bad etiquette

[LuckyM]

 I am a novice artist and go to a dropin art studio for nude figure drawing.

So last week I sat down, and had not paid my money yet. The  female model is wearing

a t shirt and strange tight pants that show no skin. Very peculiar and hard to draw for me.

 I ask about this. Monitor says she wiill be clothed for a while. Minutes after sitting down I walked out,

no explanation. I draw only nude models, that is what I pay for. Clothes distract me and this outfit was unsuitable

for drawing,  This is nonsexual..  I emailed the monitor in charge about it and she did not reply.   Was it rude for me to leave?

I have not returned since for other reasons.

[NuevoYorko]

No.  You're a paying customer, it's not a social event and these people aren't your personal friends.  You are free to leave.   

I do think that you probably came off as unpleasant, from the way you've described the interaction, and they're probably fine with having you out of the studio.  

[Wiseman2]

3 hours ago, LuckyM said:

 I sat down, and had not paid my money yet. The  female model is wearing a t shirt and strange tight pants that show no skin. 

Sounds like a bad fit for you. It there a policy or something? You didn't pay so you're free to leave. Are people expected to pay before the session (being nude) begins?

[Els]

You have the right to leave, but the way you did it was pretty rude. You could have explained it civilly instead of literally just walking out.

[Lotsgoingon]

You weren't wrong to leave, whatever that means. You are a customer. You have no duty to keep the coat you buy vs throwing it into the trashcan. So this is a strange question. Sounds like you probably left in more anger than feels comfortable right now. 

So maybe the question is: did you over-react? And maybe yes. But the over-reaction hurt you apparently. Sometimes if we react with anger, the anger stays with us, even after we leave a situation. 

But no harm done to anyone else. Once you walked out, neither the model not the host has given more than 10 seconds of thought to you. 

BTW: why couldn't you wait 5 or 10 more minutes since the host told you the clothes would be coming off?

[basil67]

Yeah, the whole group, model and host probably thought you were rude and would have given you a side eye when you left.  A little while later, the model took their clothes off in good time and everyone drew as per normal. 

Do you usually react like this when things don't happen the way you expect them to?   

[Alpacalia]

Yes and no...

From what has been described it sounds like you were simply asking a question about the model and was honest about your expectations. It's not disrespectful or unreasonable to express your concerns.

Rather than walking out, express your frustration and thank them for their time if the monitor couldn't accommodate your request. It might not have been necessary to provide an explanation for walking out, but it would have been more polite and professional.

I get not wanting to pay for a class that doesn't fit your artistic purpose. This type of class is a collaborative affair though, so it's necessary to respect the model's time and willingness to collaborate. Leaving abruptly during a drop-in session also disrupts other students' experiences.

Were you worried about being charged for a class that was supposed to be nude but semi-nude instead? Or, is this merely a snobbish issue concerning artistic pursuits?

Edited June 5, 2023 by Alpacalia

[LuckyM]

The first 20 minutes are my favorite part  when the model does 3 minute poses, and I hated her leggings and unisex t-shirt. We pay whenever  there. Yes this is how I react angry fast when things are not as I expect  A lifelong habit. Or I choose not to enter. Twice at other studios I left when there was a male model. I paid anyway. I was looking forward to draw this model .  now the monitor who uses male models often might not send me the list of future models. It is an amateur group  It is so relaxing and carefree so I enjoy it

[glows]

Soo… what exactly was in the email? Was it a rant or a complaint? Or was it an apology? 

 

[Wiseman2]

3 minutes ago, LuckyM said:

. Or I choose not to enter. .  now the monitor who uses male models often might not send me the list of future models. 

Is there a way you could check in advance if there will be female nude models? If that's all you want, then you'll have to find that.

If the place is a drop in place, you'll have to accept whatever the operators of it are doing and the other customers are doing. 

If you're not happy with the terms, check in advance or at the door and don't go if it doesn't suit you. Try looking for alternative places that might be a better fit for specially what you want.

[Els]

5 hours ago, LuckyM said:

The first 20 minutes are my favorite part  when the model does 3 minute poses, and I hated her leggings and unisex t-shirt. We pay whenever  there. Yes this is how I react angry fast when things are not as I expect  A lifelong habit. Or I choose not to enter. Twice at other studios I left when there was a male model. I paid anyway. I was looking forward to draw this model .  now the monitor who uses male models often might not send me the list of future models. It is an amateur group  It is so relaxing and carefree so I enjoy it

I have to be honest, if I was the monitor this would give me major creep vibes, and I would certainly not reinvite you. It seems you:

1. Have a habit of responding with anger when things don't work out the way you want
2. Have very specific expectations despite attending an amateur group that is supposed to be relaxed and carefree
3. ONLY draw nude models, and only female nude models...? Obviously the studios would know which model is showing up that day, so are you attending an unspecified session and then just leaving when there is a male model, or what?

If you were a well-known professional who specializes in a certain niche and sitting around for 10 minutes with a clothed model is harming your livelihood or whatever, then I suppose such eccentricity might be given some leeway. But in an amateur group? Yikes. No matter how much you insist that this is non-sexual, your actions are basically those of a a creeper who's just using art as an excuse to ogle naked women IRL, hence the complete lack of patience with having any variation whatsoever with the subject matter. I'm not saying that you're necessarily lying, but that's how it will come across to me if I was there.

[Alpacalia]

Why did you not talk to the monitor beforehand about your preferences?

Each model has their own level of comfort. There may be a variety of reasons why they choose to wear certain clothing or take a break from posing naked or not disrobe until later. The model's comfort comes before the artist’s interests.

It is better not to attend the session if you can't or won't accommodate the model and consider their preferences.

[Foxhall]

I would have enjoyed the anticipation personally though perhaps I do not answer through the mind of an artist.

[basil67]

Whether or not the monitor keeps you on the mailing list will depend entirely on the tone of the email you sent.

"I'd like to apologise for not staying today - my head was in a bit of a bad place" would keep you on the list.   Anything complaining about the model wearing clothes for an amount of time will likely see you dropped.

[Ageless Wisdom23]

I would have explained myself politely.  Not just walk out.  But there is nothing wrong in what you do as 😌far as nude art.

[MsJayne]

Perhaps the model prefers to stay clothed until she feels comfortable that everyone's there for the right reasons. 

[NuevoYorko]

I'm not sure what your real motives are but this doesn't seem like an appropriate environment for you.  Since you aren't necessarily interested in drawing the naked human body - only certain categories of that - why don't you just hire a woman you would like to draw to pose nude for you?   Some of the masseuses would probably be happy to provide that service.