General Admission

Participation in open sketch sessions at DARA is open to all artists in the community, both DARA students and unaffiliated artists.

To join, visit the Sketch Sessions page and click on the sketch group that interests you. Through our booking app, select which date(s) you want to join, then enter your name, email address, and (optional) telephone number. At checkout, you may pay the session fee with iDEAL, ApplePay, or with a credit card.

It is not possible to join a session unless you have booked and paid online. You may book your place in a session up to 1 hour before the session starts, as long as there are still places available.

Important: Are you under the age of 18? Then your parent or legal guardian must provide written permission to DARA for you to attend.

Payment of Session Fees

The fee you pay per session covers your share of the model costs and use of our studio equipment. This fee must be paid online at the time of booking your place in the session. Payments are accepted with iDEAL, ApplePay, or with a credit card.

​A confirmation of your booking is sent to you automatically by e-mail and/or SMS.

Cancellation Policy

If you are no longer able to attend the session you booked, you may cancel up to 24 hours before the session starts and receive a full refund. A button to cancel is provided in the confirmation email and/or SMS sent to you at the time of your booking.

All cancellations made when there are fewer than 24 hours from the start of a session are not refunded. DARA does not agree to credit the fee you paid towards a future session if you cancel with less than 24 hours notice.

What if DARA cancels a session?
If we have to cancel a session for any reason, all participants are notified via email and/or SMS and fully refunded.

Behavioural Code of Conduct

DARA strives to provide a studious environment for artists, where high-quality work and serious study is possible. In order to maintain this environment, all artists agree to follow our Code of Conduct as a condition of participation:

• No talking / giggling / disruptive noise while the model is posing

All artists are quiet while the model is posing. Chatting, laughing, making lots of noise, etc. is disrespectful to the model and everyone around you and it will not be tolerated. Wear headphones if listening to music, and switch your phone to silent.

• Late arrival

If you arrive late, wait outside the classroom until a break in the pose.
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• Studio equipment

Equipment borrowed from DARA such as easels, stools, etc. should be handled with care. If you find a broken piece of equipment, report it to a member of staff immediately. Return any items you borrow to the place where you found them. You are not permitted to take any books or studio equipment which belongs to DARA or to one of our students out of the building.

• Keep our studio clean

Any mess you make should be cleaned up by you before you leave. This means:

- You dispose all your trash in the proper waste bin;
- You clean up any paint stains you made with soap and warm water;
- You clean any charcoal dust, pencil shavings, etc. off your easel;
- You bring any drink cups you used to the kitchen;
- You leave our space in the same condition that you found it.

• Maturity & Professionalism

Studying from the live model is an academic pursuit. It is expected that you will behave professionally towards other artists and models, particularly with regards to models posing nude. Any sexual, lewd, inflammatory, or other immature conduct will not be tolerated and will end in your permanent dismissal from our studio.

• Materials Storage

​After the session ends, you may not leave your art or supplies at DARA unless you are a currently enrolled student. 'Currently enrolled' means you are actively following a course at DARA at the present time; it does not apply if you were enrolled in the past, or intend to enroll at some point in the future.

If you are not a currently enrolled student, DARA does not agree to provide storage space for your belongings after the session ends, and accepts no liability for items which are left behind in our building.

• Building Access

During open sketch sessions, the parts of our building which are accessible are the model studios, library, supply store, W.C.s, and the entrance lounge. Access to all other areas of the building is closed.

• Disruptive Behaviour

All disruptive behaviour, including (but not limited to)

• refusal to follow DARA's studio policies;
• discrimination, harassment, verbal abuse, or physical violence directed towards another artist, staff member, or model;
• destruction or theft of another artist or staff member’s property;

​will result in dismissal from class and / or permanent expulsion from DARA, with no refund.

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Photo / Video Policy

These rules are in place in order to respect the privacy and safety of all models and artists who work in our studio.

Clothed Models
You must ask the model permission before recording images of him or her. Do not interrupt the session by asking in the middle of the pose, ask before the pose starts. If the model says no, you must respect that.

Nude Models
It is strictly forbidden to take photos or videos of models posing nude. There are no exceptions to this, so do not ask. You will be expelled from our studio with no refund for violating this rule.

Recording your own artwork
Wait for a break in the pose to photograph your own work. When you take a picture in the middle of the pose, it is not clear from the model's point of view if you are including him or her in the photo. Out of respect, wait until the model is on a break.

Recording someone else's artwork
​Ask permission from the artist before recording images of his or her work.

Materials Use & Prohibited Materials

Working with traditional artist media often involves working with toxic substances. To ensure the health and safety of all artists who work in our space, there are strict rules in place regarding the usage of certain art materials. Refusal to follow these rules will result in your dismissal from our studio with no refund.

• Prohibited Solvents for Oil Painting

​The only type of solvent allowed at DARA is Gamsol Pure Odourless Mineral Spirits. Although there is no such thing as a "safe" solvent, Gamsol is one of the safest solvents available to artists due to its high-quality purified formula. We sell it directly at DARA if you cannot find it in your local art store.

There is absolutely no exception to this. Using another solvent in your own studio does not mean you can use it here. If the cashier at the art shop told you that some other product was "the same" as Gamsol, that does not make it OK to use here (and it's also not correct.) If your painting medium has any detectable smell at all, even a "nice" smell, you may not use it at DARA.

• Disposal of Oil Paint Waste

Do not, under any circumstance, dump solvents or oils down the drain. All oil paint waste must be disposed of in a metal waste bin with a lid.

• Toxic Pigments

You are allowed to use paints which contain toxic pigments here, including lead. However, you are very strongly encouraged to wear gloves and protective clothing, and you must clean up all paint stains/spills that you make before you leave.

• No Powdered Pigment

​You are not allowed to work with pigment in dry powdered form at DARA. It is also prohibited to sand down a canvas, palette, or any other painted surface while indoors.

• Limit dust as much as possible

​When you are working with any media that produces dust (graphite, charcoal, etc.), respect the people around you by limiting the dust you produce as much as possible. Sharpen your tools over a waste bin and do not blow dust off your paper in someone else's face. After the session ends, clean up any dust on or around your easel for the next person to use.

• Brush cleaning protocol

​There are designated sinks in the studio where brushes may be washed. It is expected that you will remove as much paint as possible from your brush first (whether with Gamsol, oil, water, etc.) before washing your brush in the sink. If a sink is not designated for brush-washing, you may not clean your brushes there.

• Use of spray fixative

​If you are setting your drawing with a spray fixative, you must do so outdoors. We have a spacious garden/courtyard where this is possible. Wait a few minutes before bringing your drawing back indoors for the smell to wear off.

• Clean your mess

​Respect our space and leave our studio in the same condition that you found it. Any mess you make should be cleaned up by you before you leave. This means:

- You dispose all your trash in the proper waste bin;
- You clean up any paint stains you made with soap and warm water;
- You clean any charcoal dust, pencil shavings, etc. off your easel;
- You bring any drink cups you used to the kitchen;
- You leave our space in the same condition that you found it.