Day 53 - Dr. Sketchy's

Last nite was the monthly Dr. Sketchy's AntiArt School.  As usual it was ALOT of fun.  The evening is full of contsts and challenges...sketching is fast and loose with multiple poses.  Starts off with five minute poses and ends with 20 minute poses.  None of course were long enough for me to give our lovely model Jessica justice.  Jessica is a burlesque dancer/artist but not in the sense we think of a burlesque dancer but a performer in the old tradition of say the Moulin Rouge...slightly naughty performances but clothed.  

The biggest problem I had last nite was that since Jessica was not an artist model she had trouble holding the poses and seemed to actually collapse so I felt like I was always trying to chase her with my drawing...not easy to do in the short periods we had to draw.  Next time I am going to try to draw her piece by piece  aka the head, the arm, the hand instead of a more typical overall approach.  

We started off with this pose to draw in five minutes.  A tough one and I dont think I did her loveliness justice.  I wish I could have taken a  photo so I could have redrawn her because I loved her poses and this one was lovely to look at.

 Next five minute pose. She was upside down in the chair.  Crazy but fun!! And a definite challenge to draw. This one I think turned out fairly well...just very sketchy!

Ten minutes...way to complicated for me to get all of her done in ten minutes.  Perhaps I should have just done her head! OPPS!! 

Another ten minute pose - Think this one turned out fairly well too...Its all a learning process right?? She had started her collapsing yet...I can't imagine Doing either of the first two poses for five minutes and still have another hour and a half to go.

So will Ruth and I do it again next month...of course!!! We LOVED it!!  Drawing, contests, food, drinks, great music...what more could a girl ask for??

Day 26: Dr Sketchys part 2

As I said yesterday we went sketching a live model...mostly costumed...we warmed up with 5 minute sketches...some were good in retrospect though I thought they were terrible at the time!!!

5 minute sketches

ok...done with pencil a 6B I think..I find this fast live sketching so intimidating especially when I sit by my friend Ruth Pearl whose awesome at these things!! She's been practicing ALOT longer than I have.

5 Minute Sketch

This was my fav of the three...she walked around and made comments...thank goodness I didn't get any bad ones....this live action drawing scares me to death as it is!!

Cat Woman

Queen April's take on Michelle Pfeiffer's Cat Woman pose. A 15 minute sketch...this one turned out well.See how much the red and blue improved the drawings?? Gave it some zing! Of course actually her face is not so narrow and her tummy is narrower!! Got them backwards!!

charcoal and pastel on Canson mixed media paper

15 minute sketch

I think her head's a little big...though she did seem to have a rather large head...she was drop dead gorgeous though...especially for a 49 year old.

And that's a wrap folks till next month...as I said the final Wednesday of the month at Chat Noir 7 pm for fast sketching food fun music and drinks...OH and Prizes!!!

Time to sketch sketch sketch sketch monkeys!!  If you are ever in Asheville check out Dr Sketchys there at the Crow and Skulls. And maybe Queen April will be there supervising...she makes the whole thing great fun!!!

Location:Augusta ga

Day 25 - Dr Sketchys Anti Art School

Last nite Ruth, Tom and I went to Dr Sketchys Anti Art School at Chat Noir downtown. THE best fun. A lot of FAST sketching. 5 min poses up to one 20 min pose. The model wears costumes.  Ruth and I decided that it was THE best fun we had sketching EVER....Wild music...a cocktail..prizes...fun artsy crowd...Monthly the  last Wednesday  at Chat Noir @7pm.

Most of my sketches were charcoal/conte crayon with touches of my friend's Ruth's pastels which she kindly loaned.

Here's the original Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School. Molly Crabapple started in it NYC as an antidote to the staid life drawing classes in most art schools. The models run a wide range of life models to burlesque dancers.  Last month the model was a local belly dancer.  Dr. Sketchys is all over the world so check the site and see if there's one near you.

Queen April

A tough assignment.  Draw with your nondominant hand a sketch of April, Queen of Asheville NC's Dr. Sketchys which is held monthly at the Crow and Skull. Drawn completely with my left hand. At first it was very difficult but after you got into the swing of it it became easier...and I like the spidery wispy lines because I was so tentative in my work.  I borrowed Ruth's blue and red pastels. Thanks RUTH!!

I actually won the contest. Free sketch nite at Dr Sketchys Anti Art School and two art monkey stickers.

Queen April's birthday card

Another assignment. Draw her a birthday card. Sorry the photo's not better but I gave it to her so NO redoes! Doesn't do the juicy colors of the pastels justice.
She had had a recent birthday so our last class assignment was to make her a birthday card.  Next time I am bringing my own colors because I had to borrow Ruth's pastels once again!! They really made this one I think!!

My favorite. Might have been 10 min sketch. This one actually looks alot like her. Fabulous blue and black hair. Once again I borrowed  Ruth's blue and red pastels....juicy colors!! 

More tomorrow.