Dr. Sketchy poses

Here is my Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School story:

About two years ago, while doing one of my favorite art geeks things (checking out illustrators on Altpick.com), I came across Molly Crabapple. One of the links on her page was Dr Sketchy, so I clicked on it. I found out that Dr. Sketchy was an art session unlike most you would go to (a nude model or two doing standard poses at night for the general public to sketch). This one was held in the back of a bar in Williamburg, Brooklyn at night with burlesque dancers posing in costume. I thought that would be a great thing to start up in Atlanta. I had a space and was hoping that I could get the local roller girls, burlesque darlings and rock-n-roll boys to pose. However, I was a bit lazy and the space fell through. I kept getting the notices for the sessions in NYC so it was always in the back of my mind. Since moving, four months ago, to San Diego I have found out that someone finally did start up Dr. Sketchy's in ATL...good for them. But the best news for me is that someone was smart enough to start one here.

I participated in my first one, which happened also to be San Diego's first one as well, last Saturday night (after attending Comic-Con). It was held at Bluefoot Lounge in North Park and the next will be held there as well, on August 18th.

Here are some to of the better 5 minute sketches I did that night.

IF: Moon

This is a cropped version from the image below.


This was a quick sketch I did of lifeguard tower #3 at Ocean Beach in San Diego today. I finally made it to one of, the only art stores in the San Diego area (which still baffles me). I bought five pens that represent the color palette I intend to use for a while. Anyway, the sketch was done at 6pm so there was no moon yet-but I started doodling them into the sky anyhow. I figure with the full moon tonight it would be appropriate to finish the piece and send it in. I brought home the sketch deconstructed it a bit, added the beach out of pattern tissue from the 70's and blue gouache to make it midnight.
And there you have my topic of this week 'moon'.

IF: Poem

This is the black and white version of this piece. I tried a lot of elements I have never used before, but have been wanting to try them for quite a while. Black and white was a big one for me.

For this illustration I tried thinking about a couple of different ways to work with the topic. At first, I was going to paint some sort of bird, like a peacock then research a poem about peacocks. I found that to be a lot of leg work and what if I couldn't find decent poetry. Then I was going to find a wonderful poem an illustrate it - however, that also would require a lot of leg work and give me less time to work on the piece itself. All the time I kept remembering words, phrases, passages and quotes from Anais Nin's diaries, Vol. II 1934-1939. I still had to narrow my choices, I kept going back to this one because it seemed poignant for what was going on in the world today, yet this is from the 1930's.

I am not unaware of the political drama going on,
but I have not taken any sides because politics to me,
all of them, seemed rotten at the core
and all based on economics, not
HUMANITARIANISM

Anais Nin 1936

However, I could not help but add a little color.

IF: Geeky (love)

...owww goody! spotted african tree frog is my favorite flavor!


the initial sketchbook piece.

IF: Twist

(sports commentray)...fantastic maneuvering by 19 year old Jung Yi of South Korea. With that superb performance on the rings, he has surely secured his team a spot at the 2008 Summer Olympics Beijing.

(Jung is thinking)...if I don't nail this dismount and secure that position, I am moving to America. To Las Vegas and joining Cirque Du Soleil.


Color or black and white?