Life Drawing/ Figure Drawing FAQ’s

How do I get a ticket for an upcoming life/ figure drawing event?
We have tickets online here, drop ins are also welcome

How can I keep up with life drawing events and other fun figure drawing stuff?
Funny you should ask…
1. Life Drawing at Faultline Email list - weekly update and reminder including model names
2. The Life Drawing webpage and ticket portal
3. Follow @Faultline_LifeDrawing on Instagtram
4. Our new blog featuring life drawing and figure drawing content

Can I come late/ leave early?
Absolutely, we realize it’s difficult or impossible for many of our artists to get here on time, but we’d still love to see you! You may come and go as you please, you won’t be disturbing anyone. Come on in and one of our friendly moderators will meet you at the door and help you find a seat, get set up, and answer any questions you might have. Doors open by 5:45 and the model takes the stand as close to 6 as possible.

Who is the model this week?
We always send out who the scheduled model is for the week in our weekly reminder. Sign up here-
We also post it on the ticket page if we know soon enough. Most of our models come from the Bay Area Models Guild

Any plans for other life drawing / figure drawing sessions, such as different times, instructed classes, or longer poses?
Yes, Tuesday October 28th and Tuesday November 4th 11-2pm. We are currently exploring instructed classes and will have more information soon.

Where is it?
The new Faultline Gallery at 3908 MacArthur Blvd in Oakland, CA.

What’s the parking situation?
There is paid parking on MacArthur and free parking in the neighborhood, Patterson Street is around the corner from the gallery and is probably the best street in the area to park.

Is tipping the model expected?
No, the model is paid by the venue and tipping is totally optional. We do have a tip jar set up so models can make a little extra and look forward to coming back.

What materials are allowed? Water based paints are fine, no oils. Low dust charcoals, just clean up after yourself whatever you use.

Are materials provided? We have a stack of newsprint and drawing paper and various drawing supplies if you need some. We have a stack of drawing boards you can use, along with easels, tables, and drawing horses available which are first come, first serve.

Do I need a ticket?
We highly recommend you pick up a ticket beforehand on our website. Ticketing allows us to moderate the number of attendees to an optimum number to reduce crowding and maximizing funds to pay for the models, the space, moderators, and equipment like easels and heating/ air conditioning. You’re welcome to show up without a ticket, but ticket holders will have priority to the easels, drawing horses, and tables. People start to leave around 7:30 and by 8:00 there is usually plenty of prime spaces you can move to if you get stuck in the back.

What’s your refund policy? We’re more than happy to provide refunds and rain checks on unused tickets to encourage advance ticket sales. Please send us an email before the event if possible, or after in necessary. Please do not come sick!

Is photography allowed?
No photography is allowed. If you would like to take a picture of the model for reference or social media, you need to get permission from the model. Some models may ask for an additional fee or refuse outright.

Can I model for the group?
We really prefer to use the Guild, even though they are sometimes more expensive than independent models, because they have an excellent no-show policy, they can send a replacement model quickly if the scheduled model doesn’t show, and we can book months at a time with a single email. The Guild has high standards for models and we appreciate the extra effort they put in to ensure that every single model is skilled, enthusiastic, and professional. Here’s a link for the Bay Area Models’ Guild, they have regular auditions to become a model.

Are the models nude?
Yes — our life drawing sessions feature nude models, a long-standing tradition in figure study. We feature both male and female models, of all body shapes and sizes. If you ‘d like a heads up on who the model will be for the upcoming week, please subscribe to our life drawing newsletter