Stock and Resources PE: Child Stock

It is no secret that a huge portion of the DeviantArt Galleries are composed of Stock and Resources. Within these Stock and Resource galleries you will find all sorts of stock photos and application resources to fuel your creativity from landscape photos to Adobe Illustrator brushes.

Model stock is one area within the Stock and Resource Galleries that are probably the most diverse. Within these galleries you can find stock ranging from fantastic nude/semi-nude models suitable for drawings and paintings to epic costumed models perfect for digital composite manipulations.

The model stock galleries can be broken down to the following sub-categories: female, male, children and groups.

For this article, we will focus on an often overlooked section of model stock photography: child stock!



As someone who has provided child stock for approximately six years, I am a firm believer that children are just as capable as adults to embody different characters and produce some stellar artistic resources.

I feel that a number of parents underestimate their children in terms of stock. Your kids are watching you have fun dressing up, playing with props and posing and would probably love to try it out themselves if you simply asked them.

Start them out in their regular street/school clothing in simple poses such as a jumping or running pose. Post it up in the appropriate stock gallery here on DeviantArt and chances are they will become very well received by artists!



The comments and downloads and stock uses should encourage your child to want to do it again, but maybe next time try doing a shoot in a costume!

Just as with costumed stock for adults, it does not have to cost a fortune. Never underestimate the value of a plain white sheet or towel!



I understand that many parents worry about making photos available of their children online, but in my six years of experience I can attest the fact that the number of friendly and respectful artists truly outnumber the ones who are only out to cause trouble.

The wonderful thing about providing stock on DeviantArt is the ability to set your own stock rules and terms of use. So, if you and your child would like to try providing stock but do not want a certain type of artwork created from your photos, you have every right to restrict certain themes. Should a deviant fail to abide by your restriction, you simply have to file a ticket with the DeviantArt Help Desk and they will assist you with removing the non-compliant stock usage.

Another benefit to child stock is that by having your child pose, you are creating a very unique bonding situation! Stocking is something fun that you get to do with your child by either posing with them or being the photographer.

Also, by directing your child in the shoots you are helping them learn how to follow direction that they can then use in school and other real-world scenarios.





If you do decide to try creating Child Stock, the important thing to remember is that creating stock should be fun for all involved!