SF Art Institute

• What: Free figure drawing every Friday. 5:30–8:30 pm | Studio 13
• Why: Most spots in the city will charge you for figure drawing, so this is a pretty great deal. The room is also well-lit and atmospheric, and you get a nice view of Coit Tower if you walk around the SFAI buildings.
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23rd street studio

• What: Also figure drawing ($18)
• Why: Because the guy who owns this is really, really charming. He’ll invite everyone to the dining table during the long break in the middle of a session AND  bakes treats and makes everyone tea AND we’ll talk about our favorite movies from the week. On top of that, the poses that the models do here tend to be more dynamic than what I’ve seen elsewhere.
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Clay by the bay

• What: Ceramics!
• Why: Because their classes are great (says my friends – I haven’t been). I keep missing their classes, because of work trips
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Case for Making

• What: Well-curated art supplies
• Why: Because it’s really pretty, because it’s next to Trouble Coffee, because the owner has workshops during the week, because she got a commercial license like a decade ago and decided at some point that she would sell all of her favorite supplies there.
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3 fish studios

• What: Print-making studio/store
• Why: Because they made the print with the bear hugging the state of California piece that’s now on every other tote bag in Valencia. This is another place I haven’t been to. It’s hella far, but close to Case for Making – so recommendation would be to check them out together.
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