Open Drawing: Model in Costume

Monthly costumed figure drawing. Three uninstructed hours, one theme, and poses long enough to finish what you start.

About once a month, the model stand at Fallsview Arts gets dressed up in costume! A professional model arrives with different costumes outfits and props built around a single theme, the lights are set, and for three hours the room draws. Participants work independently, at their own pace. A monitor keeps time, and the pose schedule leans toward the long holds that work best with the particular outfits. The session is open to drawing in any portable medium, and to every level of experience.

Why Draw the Model in Costume

Drawing fabric gives way to the construction of the figure's form. An example is how a sleeve hides the arm but reports every bend in it. A heavy skirt hangs straight from the hip and breaks where it meets the floor. Learning to observe where cloth is pulled tight, where it falls free, and what the body is doing underneath, teaches the artist to observe form.

The overall theme and feeling of a pose is translated differently when the model is presented in costume. Many artists find a dressed figure easier to begin and harder to finish.

How the Three Hours Run

1. Settling in. Doors open15 minutes before the first pose. Choose an easel, stool and /or comfortable chair.

2. Warm-up poses. A short run of quick poses to find the gesture and the big shapes of the costume.

3. Middle poses. Holds of 10 to 20 minutes for studying one passage: a collar, a sleeve, the way a hem falls.

4. Long poses. The larger share of the session. The model holds in timed sets with breaks, returning to the same position so a drawing can be carried toward a finish.

The exact sequence may shift depending on the theme. Some costumes and props call for a single extended pose; others are better seen from two or three.

A Different Theme Each Session

Every session is built around one idea, drawn from art history, period dress, illustration, theatre or the season. The theme decides the costume, the props, the lighting and often the kind of pose.

Recent themes have included Enchanted Forest Fairy, Mermaid and Ancient Goddess.

Who it Suits

• Total beginners and newer artists who want to explore drawing from a live model in a clothed setting

• Illustrators, comics artists and character designers who need clothed figures

• Portrait and figure painters who want to practice fabric, pattern and color on a live sitter

• Drawing regulars looking for fresh inspiration

• Teens building a portfolio for college submission. Artists under 18 need a consent form signed by a parent or caregiver.

What we provide, and what to bring

The studio supplies furniture and professional lighting on the model. Bring your own paper or surface and whatever you like to work in: graphite, charcoal, conté, ink, pastel or a digital tablet.

Studio Etiquette

• Arrive before the first pose. If you are late, come in quietly and, at the next break, get settled in an available spot.

• No photography of the model unless the monitor announces a photo moment.

• Keep conversation for the breaks and phones on silent.

• The pose, the lighting and the model's comfort are the monitor's call.

The Model Studio

Fallsview Arts occupies a restored historic printing-press building on the East Branch River, at the Westchester-Putnam border and a short drive from North Salem, Somers and Carmel.

Other Open Sessions at Fallsview Arts

• Open Life Figure Drawing. Undraped model. Short poses building to longer ones. Weekly, by session.

• Open Portrait Model - Long Pose. Portrait sitter. One sustained pose. By session.

• Open Life Painting: Long Pose. Undraped model. One pose held across four weeks. By session.

For studio time without a model, see Open Studio Hours and Drop-In Studio Art.

Want instruction rather than open time? See Figure Drawing & Anatomy or the full list of drawing classes.

Upcoming dates

• Sunday, December 6th, 2026, 1:00 to 4:00 pm. See the calendar to register.

• Sunday, January 10th, 2027, 1:00 to 4:00 pm

Fee: $30 per session.

Questions artists ask

Is the model nude? No. The model is in costume for the whole session, breaks included.

Is there a teacher? No. This is open studio time with a monitor who keeps the clock. For guided work, see our drawing classes.

Do I need experience? No experience required! You just need your own materials.

Can I come once? Yes. Each session stands alone and has its own theme.

How will I know the next theme? It is posted on the calendar and on this page as soon as it is set.

Is this a Drop-In format? No. Participants must register ahead of time to secure their spot.