Sketching people: Prospective investigations of the impact of life drawing on body image

•Life drawing with nude models has a positive impact on women's state body image.•Positive impact of life drawing is similar for women and men, regardless of model sex.•Life drawing sessions have a positive impact of trait positive body image after 6 weeks.•Life drawing increases embodiment and reduces social physique anxiety after 6 weeks.•Life drawing sessions have no significant impact of trait negative body image after 6 weeks.

Three studies were conducted to establish the extent to which life drawing is effective at promoting positive body image. Study 1 (N = 84 women) showed that life drawing had a positive impact on state body image, but only if artists observed a human model and not non-human objects. Study 2 (N = 61 women, 61 men) showed that life drawing had a positive impact on state body image for women and men, irrespective of whether artists observed a sex-congruent or -incongruent model. Study 3 (N = 23) showed that participating in weekly life drawing sessions for a 6-week period resulted in significantly elevated trait positive body image (body appreciation and body pride) and embodiment, and in reduced social physique anxiety; however, the intervention had no significant impact on negative body image (drive for thinness or muscularity). These results highlight the potential of life drawing for promoting positive body experiences.