Sketching and Copying in Galleries

The requirements for a permit are as follows:

-- Application form completed and signed.

-- Suitable photo ID -- either driver's license or passport.

-- A separate permit is required for each piece to be copied.

Guidelines

The following guidelines for copying works of art must be followed:

General
CMA asks the copyist to maintain a minimum distance of 4 feet from the object being copied and to be aware of other visitors and tour groups. It is prohibited to copy works of art on loan to the CMA and works of art restricted by copyright. No copyist or other person may offer any copy for sale on the premises of the CMA, nor may any person solicit commissions or employment to copy while on CMA property. The copyist must never make any representation, explicit or implicit, that the copy is anything more than a reproduction by the copyist of a work of art. In order to avoid problems of traffic flow in the galleries, only one person is permitted to copy a single artwork at any given time. The copyist is also advised that Protection Services may ask that work be discontinued if a problem is perceived or if galleries become crowded with other visitors.

Dry medium
No permit is necessary for copyists wishing to use a dry medium, other than pastels, charcoal, and chalks, which are prohibited, to copy works in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. Camp stools and drawing boards are available at the Information Desk.

Liquid medium
Any copyist wishing to copy a work of art at the Cleveland Museum of Art in oil or other liquid medium must contact the Registrar's Office and obtain a copyist permit.

The following guidelines must be observed by copyists working in any liquid medium:

-- The canvas that the copyist is working on must be at least three inches larger or smaller than the original in both height and width. No copy may exceed thirty inches in either dimension, regardless of the size of the original.

-- An odorless turpentine substitute must be used in lieu of turpentine. Use of fixatives and sprays is prohibited.

-- Easels must be used for working on painted copies. They should be the collapsible type and may not be carried through the galleries in their extended form. The Museum reserves the right to prohibit use of easels which are judged by CMA staff to be unsafe.

-- A drop cloth measuring 5 feet x 5 feet must be furnished by the copyist to protect the area in which the artist is working.

-- Copyists wishing to leave their work area temporarily are required to take all materials and equipment with them. Copyists must not ask Protection Services personnel to watch their materials. All materials must be removed from the museum at the end of the session since no storage space is available. A copyist must obtain a visitor's badge from the information desk and check in with the Registrar's Office prior to beginning work in the galleries. At the end of each session, the copyist must be checked out by the Registrar's Office. When the copyist has completed the work, he must turn his permit in to the Registrar's Office.

-- Copying original artist's signature: must be preceded by the words "A copy after@" and followed by the copyist's name and the date the copy was made.

-- The CMA's issuance of a A copyist's permit@ does not in any way constitute the CMA's endorsement of a copyist's work, and the copyist must never make any representation, express or implied to the contrary. If the copyist wishes to use the CMA's name in any form of publicity or advertisements for their work, it must be first cleared by the CMA Rights and Reproductions Department. Failure to do so will result in cancellation of copying privileges.

-- Copying may take place Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 - 4:00. Due to heavy traffic in the galleries, copying is prohibited during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and at any time between Christmas and New Years Day.