How to show up to a NOOD session.
A NOOD session runs on stillness, attention, and respect. These are the things we ask of every artist who comes through the door, for the model, for the room, for the work.
The seven things we ask.
Respect the model as a professional
The model is a working professional. Treat them as you would any colleague in any other room.
- No directing, correcting, or commenting on poses
- No conversation with the model during poses
- Feedback is not expected or appropriate unless invited
- Silence is part of the practice
Focused room
- Keep conversation minimal and quiet
- Phones on silent; step away if you need to take a call
No photography or recording: strict boundary
- No photos, videos, or audio recordings
- No "quick references" on your phone
- Respect privacy fully and without exception
Arrive on time, move with awareness
- Late arrivals enter quietly and settle without disruption
- Avoid walking during poses
- Be mindful of sightlines and space
Draw with attention, not entitlement
- Every drawing is a study, not a claim over the model's image
- Do not share work publicly in ways that compromise the model's privacy
Materials & setup
- Use materials appropriate for a shared indoor space
- No strong solvents, sprays, or substances that affect others
Shared space
- Clean your area after the session
- Return any studio equipment
- Leave the space as you found it
Structured sessions for focused practice.
Beyond the weekly session, NOOD runs occasional workshops with a specific focus: gesture, sustained pose, or themed subject matter. Small groups. The same quiet approach as any NOOD evening.
Gesture Intensive
An evening of short poses (one minute, two, five) designed to quicken the hand and loosen the line. Good for artists who want to move faster, or anyone new to drawing from life.
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Format: open studio, all materials provided
- Who it's for: all levels welcome
- Price: same as standard session
Sustained Pose Workshop
One pose, held the length of the session with two short breaks. The model and facilitator find a position together. Made for artists who want to sit with a drawing, to develop it, layer it, take their time.
- Duration: 2.5–3 hours
- Format: single pose, all materials provided
- Who it's for: intermediate and advanced, some drawing experience recommended
- Price: standard session rate
Beginner-Welcome Session
A regular NOOD session framed for those who have never drawn from life. The facilitator spends ten minutes on materials and approach, then the room opens the same as any other night. No critique. No expectation. Just the work, and you, and the model.
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Format: short and medium poses, all materials provided
- Who it's for: complete beginners and the art-curious
- Price: standard session rate
Outdoor & Location Sessions
Occasional sessions outside the studio, parks, heritage buildings, or gallery spaces. Same model, same approach, different light. All NOOD conventions apply: no photography, quiet room, professional model.
- Duration: 2 hours
- Format: varies by location; bring your own portable materials
- Who it's for: all levels
- Price: standard session rate; announced via newsletter
A session designed entirely around you.
Private sessions offer the full NOOD studio (model, lighting, materials) to one artist. You set the pace, the pose lengths, and the focus. Available outside regular session hours. Pricing on request.
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- Newsprint pads (18×24")
- Vine charcoal (soft & medium)
- Compressed charcoal sticks
- Kneaded & white block erasers
- Drawing boards & bulldog clips
- Drawing benches and easels
- Blending stumps and chamois
- Tea, coffee, and snacks
- Your own sketchbook or paper
- Coloured pencils, pastels, or ink
- A personal set of charcoal
- Graphite or silverpoint tools
- A clip-on light if you prefer brighter
- Aerosol fixatives or strong solvents
- Wet media that requires sinks (oil paint)
- Anything with strong scent
- Devices with visible screens during poses