18 July -- Dr. Sketchy's with Percy Kat

Last night was another in the limited summer run of Dr. Sketchy's events in Toronto.  It was another sweltering night in Toronto.  I'm starting to think rain is a lie or nature is responding to Rob Ford being elected as mayor and shutting down in horror.

Percy Kat was the model and it felt very much like a 70s genre revue; he first emerged from behind the red curtain looking like a supporting character from Barbarella:

 As the night progressed and the heat wore away and my focus I went back to this drawing and rendered it up a bit.

1-minute gestures were the start -- as usual.

Followed by 5-minute poses. . . .

 After the break Percy came out smothered in gold glitter and make-up and a hat that would have looked at home on Whoopi Goldberg's head from her role in the Star Trek series.

The challenge was the best incorporation of James Bond and this was the best I could do.

Sorry. . . .

The last costume change and Percy wore a wig that put this image in my head:

And so my brain was fried for the last of the night even though I made a few more feeble attempts at drawing.

 Despite the oppressive, soul-devouring heat, it was a great night out sketching with like-minded deviants.

11 July 2011 Dr. Sketchy's with Obskyura

 I made it to my first Dr. Sketchy's in about a year and I don't think I could have picked a better session to return to.  Obskyura was a delight to draw and a pleasure to observe. This was her second Sketchy appearance, butI missed her first go round, sadly

Started off with gestures:

 Then a few 5-minute sketches:

Followed by the first challenge; incorporate either Admiral Akbar and his famous "It's a trap!" line or something Star Wars related.  This is all I could come up with. . . .

 Obskyura returned  as a befanged lady in red:

 The second challenge was incorporating your least favourite vampire.  The drawing was an awful Pattinson caricature that won just because I make a joke about vampires lacking a heartbeat ensuring their penises will never rise from the grave.

Last batch was a lovely barbarian queen costume with an outrageous wig.

I limited myself to just pencils and a marker, leaving my overstocked art kit at home.

More next week.

Dr. Sketchy's - Frenchie Fatale and Paralee Pearl

Managed to get to a Dr. Sketchy's for the first time in a while -- two models that night! Frenchie Fatale and Paralee Pearl were great models and an interesting study in contrasts.

Just before the evening started, Sketchy photog, Brynne was standing around in some decent light, so I did a few very quick gestures.

When the models came out, we started with the usual 1-minute gestures.

Then there were the 5-10 minute poses.

I wrecked one of the nicer drawings I did with my Sketchy challenge entry; drawing on the back of a nice conté drawing with Copics on sketchbook paper isn't the best of ideas.

Won a very obscene graphic novel that ends in Waffles, so it was almost worth it. Won't post the winning entry as it had yet another giant penis gag.

Dr Sketchy's: Cherry Temple!

Managed to attend my first Dr. Sketchy's in quite some time last night. The model was great -- I've actually had the pleasure of having her as a model during some of the drawing classes I taught in the past.

There were three performance/posing phases; bespectacled librarian, opera girl and Eve and the serpent. She performed her funny (and sexy, but that should go without saying) librarian routine and then held gesture poses as she went backwards through her routine. So, she stripped down, then slowly dressed. Was pretty cool.


The first drawing challenge was for the best incorporation of a book worm. I lost, so I take this as proof that size really doesn't matter. . . .


The opera series was great -- I found myself more interested in drawing the elegant long folds and sweeping material of her red dress in some of the poses, so i'm only posting this one.

The second challenge was for the best incorporation of the Three Tenors. I went very vulgar here and managed to win a nifty plastic skull with eyeballs and a brain that can be disassembled!

No, I don't think I'll be sharing the winning drawing. . . .

The last series was pretty damn funny. I think I was too distracted and playing with my new toy skull and only managed to do the above drawing during the last sequence.

Looking forward to hopefully making the next one!

Dr. Sketchys -- October 5

Honey B. Hind was the model for the night -- she was a pleasure to draw and reminded me of an another actress. Didn't realise until the drive home that she looked more than a little like Julianne Moore.


As usual, we started off with gestures. . . .

I wanted to experiment with media a bit, so I started using pencil, gel pen, pentel white-out pen, ink and a makeup sponge for the five-minute poses. . . .

Obviously I was too slow to get very far for the first one. . .


I narrowed my focus a bit for the next few poses, but Honey liked to move her head quite a bit (especially when Brynne was taking photos), so drawing head shots was a little difficult.

Challenge!

The goal was too include Smurfette -- I was too slow and didn't get to enter. . . sigh. . . .

Last drawing of the night! Honey kept running her tongue up the neck of the guitar. Love the way Dr. Sketchy's provides so many new drawing experiences!

~R

Dr Sketchies: Tank Girl!

Monday night was Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School and the subject, in honour of the just ended Fanexpo here in Toronto, was Tank Girl.

Photographer Brynne Kennedy, dropped her camera and most of her clothes, wore a helmet and hefted toy guns to portray the titular (tee-hee) grrrrl.

Gestures:

I'm sure every Dr. Sketchy regular has looked at Brynne's butt quite a bit -- usually while she's standing between you and the model, but this time we were supposed to stare at it.

Which was, you know, fine by me. . .

5-minutes -- or less as I goofed off some with Sharleena and the others at her table

Liked playing with the Pentel brush for the two little doodles at the bottom there.

There were the usual challenges. The first was to incorporate one of Tank Girl's kangaroo lovers. I didn't have any idea what to draw until the last minute. I won, but I think it was a victory of punch-line over drawing.

The second challenge was to give Tank Girl a Rob Liefeld-style gun. Brynne had actually written "Up yours" on her cheeks, in the actual pose she teased down her "shorts" to reveal that. I didn't really want her holding a giant Liefeld gun in her ass, so I changed it up a bit.

The last drawing was more inspired by the costume than her pose -- Brynne took a Flashdance-style pose stretched across a chair, but I really wanted her to take this sort of pose.


Brynne was such a great sport she actually took one extra pose like that after we were supposed to be done -- the drawing next to the ink sketches above was all I managed to do before time ran out. I was pacing myself for 10 minutes even though I knew it was a 5-minute pose.

As always, Sketchy's was a blast and a half. It was packed last night and I think Brett had to turn people away -- thus earning his nickname as "The Despot"! It's two of my fave models in two weeks, so I'm gonna show early.

~R

Dr Sketchy's Retro Art Show: Done!

Woke up and decided the face had to change, the background details had to come back and that it was still too red.

I'm sure I'll want to fix and fiddle with it in another hour, but it's gotta be done. . . .

Gotta pick up a frame and then bring this into Toronto.

Dr Sketchy's Retro Art Show WIP4

Too tired to work on it intelligently -- I'm thinking it's done. I'll look again in the morning.

Dr Sketchy's Retro Art Show WIP3

It's getting there. . . .

Dr Sketchy's Retro Art Show WIP2

Ugh -- not sure how much longer I'll spend on this --think I'm about halfway. . . .
Background, costume and jewelry still to come. . . .

Dr Sketchy's Retro Art Show WIP1

So -- tweaked the drawing a wee bit, played with the composition, built the background in sketchup and decided that I wanted the model to take a different pose. . . . .

. . . The problem with that, of course, is that the model is nowhere near my studio.

Several thumbnails later I come up with the pose that captures what I want -- Laura (I hope I'm remembering her name), was wearing and ankle bracelet and a toe ring or two and I want to emphasise it without having the feet point into a corner. Solution -- she's playing with one of the cushions with her feet. I think the "action" being more central and vertical will allow me to use other elements to maintain the composition.

The figure becomes more generic -- though I think I should be able to tweak this likeness towards Laura as I work.

Next up -- putting all the pieces together, blocking in values and thinking about colour. . . .

Dr. Sketchy's Retro Art Show

Dr Sketchy regulars have been asked to contribute to the 2009 Sketchy Retrospective at the Gladstone Hotel -- opening will be the 23rd.

Of course I said I'd contribute -- and, of course, I forgot until today! So, I'm going to work all day (and night if I have to) to do something for the show. I went through my First Dr. Sketchy sketchbook and chose a drawing to turn into a painting. I decided on a sketch I've posted here before.

First thing up is to fix and finish certain parts of the drawing and erase most of the swaths of tone so I can work in some environmental details. I picked up a gorgeous book about women dancers in the Arab world and I'll mine that for reference.

I'll be posting updates as I progress through the day - -and possibly night!

~R

DR. Sketchy's, July 13 2009

I was able to attend my first Dr Sketchy's Anti-Art School in months this past Monday (YAY!)
I brought the worst paper the draw on I've ever bought (BOO!)

No idea why I bought this paper. I rarely leave an art supply store empty handed and I'm prone to just buy things that I might try out, so I must have bought this pad on a whim. I grabbed it on a similar whim on the way out instead of my other stacks of paper. I really felt like using conté Monday, but after setting up at the Cameron House and making a few warm-up marks on the paper I had an immediate sinking feeling. The wise and gorgeous Sharlena was sitting next to me and commented that she didn't like this paper when she tried it some time ago. I tried a few other media on it and settled for carbon pencils. I really should have brought a nice slick newsprint or similar surfaced paper as that was what I really wanted to work with. Bad planning.

Since that was worst aspect of the night, I really shouldn't complain -- but since I already have I guess I'll have to live with it.

The model, Mitzy Creme, was insanely cute in a biker-chick-pixie mode you don't see very often.

Her response to someone suggesting drawing a penis on her left me snickering and laughing for a while.

The first sketch challenge was the best incorporation of Teletubby Tinkie-Winkie. I won a weird blue drink that tasted like a melted mint popsicle.
The second sketch challenge was EXTREME FAIRY TALES -- so I did a Bo Peep/Goldielocks mash-up. Sharleen won with a wonderful Peter Pan drawing and got a six-pack of delicious-looking cupcakes

Next time I'll bring supplies I'm already comfortable with.

* * * * *

I found a link that ties back to the Bridgman review:

E.M. Gist, who is an artist and teacher that does very excellent work, posted a very good looking guide to studying Bridgman on his blog . He indicates that the method was likely crafted by his art instructor at the Watts Academy. It's certainly something I'd consider including whenever I start teaching life drawing again.

Dr.Sketchy's -- January 12, 2009

Been a busy week. My birthday took a much larger chunk out of my schedule than I anticipated, so I'm still playing catch-up.

I did make time for Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art school Monday night. The model was the impressive Sauci Calla Horra, of Skin Tight Outta Sight!

There was a scheduling cock-up that meant we started later even though more and more people are showing up earlier to get better seats. This was on the Cameron House side of things, so it's unlikely to happen again.

I still got to sit with the bestest of people and draw. Though, as usual, I end up laughing too much to really get too serious about it -- which is a part of why the "anti-art school" is a part of the name.


The challenges were all for drinks: I won the first one with a bad sketch with a naughty word balloon and a great deal of support from former students.

Life is good!

*

The next drawing exercise is already done, but I'm going to hold on to it for Saturday and try to build a buffer in to the schedule and try to be one step ahead from here on in.

*

I had my first official class at Durham College this week; it was a pretty relaxed session as I reviewed their work so far and discussed what they want to put in their portfolios and demo reels. Just 13 more weeks until it's over!

*

Zuda had TWO rank updates since my first post on the January entries. I'm actually stunned at the initial and subsequent placings; I really am surprised Love the Dango or Legacy of the Wanderer aren't in the top three!

*

Most of the stuff I'm drawing right now can't be shared, and I am pretty overwhelmed at the moment, so posting might be thin apart from the drawing exercises for the rest of the month.

Later,

~Richard

Star Trek Dr Sketchy's Style

Last Monday was probably the best Dr. Sketchy's I've attended, but the worst one in terms of my drawings from it.

I can't recall laughing this much at filthy Star Trek songs in my life. . . .

Katherine Piro dressed up as the green alien babe from the pilot, Bret dressed up as Spock, special guest Model Coco Framboise was the sexiest Uhura EVER, and Dr Sketchy's photog Brynne was Nurse Chapel.

Time just flew -- how could I concentrate with bridge personnel giving birth to tribbles?


Damn!

Next Sketchy's is January 12th. happens to be my birthday, so I'm doubly looking forward to whatever the Despot and Piro cook up!

~R

November 24 Sketchy's

Had a great model, Minouche from Les Coquettes.

Had a real slow drawing night; I decided to use carbon pencils for the first time. I certainly like them a great deal, but they aren't as slick or forgiving as graphite. Felt a little like conté pencil, actually.


On December 8, Dr. Sketchy's is having a Star Trek theme -- here's hoping for green women!

***

Also did some actual "formal" life drawing this past week at the TSA. There weren't as many gestures as I would have liked, but the environment was pleasant, model quite good and lighting as acceptable as you could expect in such a setting. I'll try to take some pictures later and post 'em.

~R

Dr Sketchy's -- November 10

Another Dr. Sketchy's this past Monday night. The model, Anastasia, was great -- made me regret not being able to make it out to the Camerons House the last time she posed. I held a small hope she'd dress as Vampirella again, but, alas, it was not to be.

Warm-up was the usual 1-minute gestures with a beer -- the beer for me, of course.


The dress was really interesting -- it was some sort of photoprint of Ozzy Osbourne with heavy chain straps and trail.

A break was enough for a costume change -- sexy cheerleader thing with little white gloves and insane shoes!



The first drink contest was to riff on the Ozzy dress and have her biting a bat. . .

Anastasia wasn't really chomping on a bat -- it looked like some sort of harmonica, really. Anyhow -- I got to drink something Brett called Bat Blood. Tasted a little likea melted popsicle.

The next challenge was to draw Anastasia in the style of one of your favourite artists. I chose Frazetta.

Spent the rest of the night drawing her as this lingerie pirate - -which made me think of that classic film, Flesh Gordon.

Well, I think it's a classic.

I've a backlog of other stuff to post, but I've really been swamped. Try to get to it soon.

~R