Time Zone Policy
The Penn Studio School of Art follows Eastern Standard Time (EST), which is listed as UTC -4.
Penn Studio School is 1 hour ahead of Chicago (Central Standard Time), 3 hours ahead of Seattle/Los Angeles (Pacific Daylight Time), 4 hours behind GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and 5 hours behind British Summer Time.
Holiday Scheduling Policy
No classes will be scheduled on these single-day holidays:
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
President's Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Indigenous People's Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Easter
Christmas Day
Classes will not be scheduled only on the first day of these holiday stretches -
Rosh Hashanah
Yom Kippur
Sukkot
Ramadan
Kwanzaa
Refund Policy
Registration fees for classes are non-refundable, except in the rare occurrence of the death or illness of an instructor.
Instructors may, from time to time, cancel a course due to health or other reasons, which Penn Studio School has no control over. In such cases, students have the option of credit and the chance to opt into a class or workshop that will run. *Students must notify at least a month prior to the start of the course(s) or workshop(s) to receive credit. All subsequent course(s) or workshop(s) credit exchanges must total the same dollar amount as the original course(s) or workshop(s) enrolled in.
Model Policy
Penn Studio Faculty will submit Model Request Forms 2 weeks before a class will run. This will help to ensure the scheduling of appropriate support, based on the focus of their class(es). No Last minute bookings.
If a model’s booking is canceled by the school—through no fault of the model—five business days or less before the scheduled booking, the school will pay the model unless a replacement booking can be scheduled during that business week. If the booking is canceled by the fault of the model, no payment will be made.
At Penn Studio School our Model pay scale will be $18.00 an hour. Models will be paid for a minimum of three hours per session, even if a class is shorter or the model is dismissed early. Extra pay allotments may be made for costumes, draperies, special make-up, etc. at the discretion of the school.
The number of models allowed per class is based on the number of students in the class, the type of class, the needs of the instructor, and the budget. Requests for extra models should go through the office with the budget.
Due to organizational considerations, bookings must be done through the school, and models who are to be booked must have paperwork on file with Penn Studio School of Art. Individual bookings by faculty will not be honored; the model will not be allowed to pose and will not be paid.
Problems with models should be dealt with privately, not in front of the class. Sometimes a model’s abilities and personality fit well in one class but not in another. Give feedback to the person booking the models.
The following must be cleared ahead of time:
▪ Figure models working together on the same stand.
▪ Male and female models posing nude in the same studio.
Safety considerations—safety has priority before aesthetics. No model should be expected to work in an unsafe or insecure environment. Any posing on higher than usual stands, on ladders, or other non-traditional settings must be cleared with the model at the time of the booking, not at the last minute.
Models are to receive a seven-minute rest break after each 20-25 minute posing session. If a longer posing time is required for some reason, this must be cleared with the model before the pose begins. Holding a pose is more strenuous than it may appear. This recovery period is industry standard.
No unauthorized people are allowed to enter the studio when a model is posing nude. In case of visitors, tours, etc., permission from both teacher and model must be given. The model is to be given the opportunity to put on a robe and take a break while visitors go through.
No cameras are allowed in the studio. Photos, videos, etc. are prohibited unless specific permission has been given and releases have been signed.
Students may not pose nude. In the event a model does not show up, students may take turns posing but must remain clothed. Privacy is very important for the security of the model. If a model is both attending classes and figure modeling at a school, he or she is too vulnerable.
Do not touch the model. To point out lighting or anatomy features, a laser pointer is advised.
Model stands are for the use of models and for set-ups designated by faculty. They are not for student use as an easel substitute, picnic table, etc. Models should be supplied with fans or space heaters as necessary and given a clean environment in which to work.
Location projects – The model, as well as the students, must sign a location waiver. This must be done before the location trip and be on file at the time of the trip.
Models are vulnerable, particularly when they are working for a figure class. A good model is working harder and hurting more than you will ever know unless you have done it yourself. The respect and appreciation at Penn Studio and its faculty, and students show toward the models will influence how much effort the models make.
Penn Studio guidelines for booking two models:
▪ 20 or more students in a figure drawing class.
▪ 18 or more students in a painting class
▪ 16 or more students in any class that needs the student to be involved with detail (such as portraiture).