Figure drawing in Chicago
Chicago has a strong open-studio model alongside guided workshops and academic resources. Palette & Chisel currently offers the clearest recurring public schedule, with live-model sessions every day of the week and no advance registration for open studios.
Upcoming sessions
Studios, schools & groups
Beginner-friendly Chicago figure drawing evenings with a professional instructor, live model, charcoal and graphite materials.
Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts — Figure DrawingChicago art academy with frequent open studio sessions from live models, model marathons and structured figure drawing, painting and sculpture classes.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago — Figure Model SessionsSAIC’s Painting and Drawing department provides weekly free figure-model sessions and figure drawing courses that work directly from the model.
Open studio, guided workshop or academic access?
Palette & Chisel publishes more than 60 hours a week of live-model open studios: quick sketch, long pose, multimedia and sculpture. Mixed Mediums works differently, with scheduled beginner-friendly guided workshops.
SAIC’s model sessions are useful context but are tied to institutional access, so they are not presented as public drop-ins.
Choose the access model
- Palette & Chisel: no advance registration for open studios.
- Non-members pay per open studio; members receive most sessions as a benefit.
- SAIC sessions follow school eligibility rules.
Verified organizers
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