“Tom, you are easily embarrassed, right? Why don’t you plunge yourself into the most awkward moment of your life?”

Those may not be the exact words of my bosses when they offered me the chance to try life drawing, but it is what I heard in my head.

But, not wanting to appear a prude, I accepted the offer and, last week, found myself in Milton-under-Wychwood nervously clutching a piece of charcoal in front of an elderly man in a dressing gown.

For those who do not know, life drawing is the rendering of the naked human form and so, suffice to say, the dressing gown did not stay on for long.

I then found myself in one of the strangest moments of my life, not just looking at a naked man but studying his every muscle and contortion.

Sure, it was uncomfortable at first, but you quickly forget about yourself – and your British upbringing – and focus on the work.

Now, I must admit, I dabbled in art when I was younger – before the musky, cigarette and alcohol-ridden scent of journalism captured me – and all the old feelings came pouring back.

I love how the daily troubles of life drift away as you focus on whether you have given correct expression to the muscles or weight to the neck. I got lost in the moment. The three-hour workshop flew by.

The class, known as Life Drawing for the Terrified, is led by Jan Harvey who has 20 years’ experience and helped me remove the fear not just of drawing a naked man but of putting charcoal to paper.

We took baby steps, drawing a stick man, then a man made of circles, but before long each of us had stepped up to a full rendering.

By the end of the class, every member of the 10-strong group had made giant leaps and had created something we were all proud of.

Mrs Harvey said: “This all started after a young man approached me and about starting a life drawing class.

“He was told when he was 16 that a piece of art he had done was not any good. The teacher ripped it in half and threw it away in front of him.

“He had never touched art since but he loved figure drawings. It was tragic.

“I thought there are probably a lot of people out there put off at school and it would be nice to let them have access to a model. Everyone can fundamentally produce art.”

l The next class is on February 4 at Milton-under-Wychwood Village Hall, Shipton Road, at 9.30am. Call Mrs Harvey on 01993 832357 or visit thewychwood workshops.co.uk