Nude Painting and Skinny Dipping

Michael sent in this great story about skinny dipping–and other activities–with a friend:

My name is Michael. I’m currently a sophomore in college. Last semester, I was taking a writing class with my friend Katherine. She and I have been very close friends since middle school. So far, we’ve never been romantic. She is a junior and is an art major. One day in class, she asked if I would help her with an art project of hers. The project was to do a photograph and a painted portrait where the portrait had to match the photo as closely as possible. The requirement was that she needed a human subject for the project. After asking me if I would be the subject, I was flattered and of course accepted. “Great, thanks, Michael,” she said, as she told me to come to her apartment Saturday afternoon.

That Saturday, I showed up at her apartment and knocked on the door. She opened the door and smiled. “Come in,” she said. As I walked in, I noticed that she had set up a studio with paint, an easel, and camera equipment, including lights and a green screen. It was very professional looking. I could tell she was serious about this project.

Katherine then handed me a clothes basket. After noticing the confused look on my face, she said, “Go ahead and put your clothes in here for safekeeping.” “Um… What?” I nervously asked. “Go ahead and put your clothes in there,” she repeated. “The clothes I’m wearing?” I asked. “What other clothes do you have with you?” She asked somewhat annoyed. A wave of emotions began pouring over me. “Did I forget to mention that this is for Art 355?” she asked. “Art 355?” I replied. “Yes, Figure Painting,” she replied. “And this project is specifically a nude figure painting.”

After seeing the mortified look on my face, she looked sad and disappointed. “Are you not going to help me with the project anymore?” She asked. A mountain of conflict grew up inside me. She was my very close friend and I did want to help her out. On the other hand, I would be completely naked in front of a girl who I had been friends with since childhood. Furthermore, the idea of a nude photo and painting of me going around campus didn’t exactly thrill me. “Everyone on campus is going to see a nude photo and painting of me,” I said to her. “There’s no way I can do this.” “Only the professor will see them, nobody else whatsoever,” Katherine said. “And the professor is honor bound to share them with no one. Plus, I’ll delete any photos I take from my camera after the project is over. Plus, this project is due next week and I really could use your help.” “The professor doesn’t provide models for this project?” I asked. “Well, yes, but you have to sign up for sessions and I’ve really procrastinated on this project, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to find an open slot in time. And you’re practically my best friend,” Katherine said.

After several long moments of thinking, I finally mustered up the bravery to say, “Yes, I’ll help you out, Katherine.” Her face lit up and she stood there waiting for me to undress. Fortunately, I am a tennis player and have a fit body. I at least had that to bump up my confidence. With my heart pounding and my hands shaking, I slowly started to undress and put my clothes in the basket, eventually reaching the point where only my briefs remained. This was the point of no return. Fortunately, my intense nervousness prevented anything from ‘rising up.’ “One more step,” Katherine said as she smiled with encouragement. I then took a deep breath and pulled my briefs off with my shaky hands and set them in the basket with the rest of my clothes. And there I stood, completely naked in front of Katherine in a very well lit room.

Katherine smiled as she gave her subject (me) a careful examination from head to toe. She then motioned me to stand in front of her cameras and she worked to carefully engineer the perfect photograph of her subject. She directed me through a series of poses as she snapped numerous photos. In some, I was standing, in others I was kneeling or laying down. After the shoot, Katherine carefully examined the pictures to find the right one to pick for the project. There were some photos in which my privates were not on display or the lighting was darker, and I was hoping she would pick one of those. No luck. She went with one of me standing up straight under bright lights, facing directly toward the camera with everything fully on display.

Katherine then moved her camera out of the way and positioned her easel so that she could paint a portrait of her subject. She positioned me so I was in the same pose as I was in the photo and began painting. It was an anxious and yet simultaneously intoxicating feeling having Katherine’s eyes on every inch of me. After a while, my nervousness must have subsided a little bit as I was comfortable enough for a certain something to begin rising. My face began turning red and Katherine soon noticed my predicament and blushed herself. “Why don’t we take a small break?” she said. Relieved, I turned my back toward Katherine and walked around the room until the excitement went away. Katherine went to her kitchen to get a glass of water. After that, I resumed my pose and Katherine went back to painting. After several more hours, Katherine finally said that she had completed the painting and motioned me to come look at it. She was an extraordinary artist. The painting was very life-like, down to every last detail. She then printed out a copy of the photo she had taken and placed the photo and painting side-by-side. It was nearly a perfect match.

“You’re an incredible artist, Katherine,” I said. “Oh, you’re so sweet. Thank you, Michael. I could tell it took a lot of guts for you to be my nude model,” she said.” “So, as a thank you, why don’t we go swimming? The apartment pool is just right outside my apartment,” Katherine said. By this time, it was past midnight. “Isn’t the pool closed by now?” I asked. “Not for us,” she said with a wink. “But I don’t have a swimsuit,” I replied. “That’s okay. I don’t either,” she said. She then picked up the basket with my clothes in it and motioned me to follow her. We snuck outside and into the pool area. I was nervous about getting caught, but it was quite dark and Katherine seemed like she knew what she was doing. She then set the clothes basket down by the pool and proceeded to undress. Soon there was a fully nude Katherine in front of me. She placed all her clothes in the basket with mine. Then, with a big smile on her face, she giggled and jumped into the pool, prompting me to do the same. I proceeded to jump in and we swam and splashed about for about a half hour. “You’re a really good friend,” Katherine said. After I told her the same, we both got out of the pool and got dressed. It felt almost strange being in clothes again after being out of them for so long.

We’ve skinny dipped together in her apartment pool several more times since. So far, however, I have not done any more nude modeling for her.

That is a wonderful story, Michael! Thanks for sharing it. It’s not often that great art is paired with great skinny dipping!

-Jen